With reference to Caroline Galea's article Single Mothers And Benefit Fraud (February 20), may I give the exact registered parish baptismal records for the years 2006, 2007 and 2008.
I am tabulating the actual figures to simplify reference (above).
It is amply clear that the percentage of "unknown father" baptisms at Christ the King parish, Paola, for the above mentioned years is 17 per cent, 21.6 per cent and 0.09 per cent respectively, that is an average of 16.24 per cent. This is much lower than the staggering reported 80 per cent of the baptisms celebrated in Paola!
I must, however, state that I unequivocally agree with Fr Paul Galea's conclusion that 30 per cent of children on the island are born out of wedlock. This is slightly lower than our parish's.