Every citizen who really loves Malta, while also being rightfully jealous of rights which, by law, have long been granted to him, should always be careful when any idea is proposed by anyone that takes away from such existing rights.

Such is the case with what is being rumoured or said about proposed changes to Malta’s present Referenda Act. To me as a simple citizen, and I would also hold to the vast majority of my fellow Maltese citizens, it is highly objectionable that any organisation (be it a hunters’ lobby, or whoever) tries to deny our presently held right at law – ergo stemming even from the present Referenda Act as they stand – that we, collectively in the required numbers, can target at whoever or whichever body that a specific legal provision be complied with, changed, amended or whatever.

This is in fact not simply a question of targeting specific groups, hobbies, pastimes, ‘cultures’ or whatever. It is about an existing right which the present law gives to citizens, viz that of, in a stated manner, being able to organise specific petitions aimed in a stated direction, or for a stated purpose.

In simple terms , if groups, or individuals, or their deeds or misdeeds, need to be made the target of a plebiscite then, in terms of the Act as it presently stands, they have a right with which no tampering or playing around should be even thought of. In a democracy numbers, including via the tool of referenda, are the expression of people (humans!).

Malta has a very good Referendum Act. Trying to play around with it, under the pressure of anybody, should be seriously avoided. As the Americans say, “If it ain’t wrong don’t fix it!”