On and off, I have attended several pre-cremation ceremonies. Cremation is a new buzzword with our population in Malta. Bodies of foes and saints have been burnt since time immemorial. Dominating powers got rid of the memory of their foes by burning any remaining traces of them.

At Eltham, UK I once got a glimpse of the process of disintegration of the human remains. This is how I now understand what the process of cremation entails. I, for one, am all for the care of the loved ones and do hope my remains will be there one day to remind my loved of our common history.

The presiding minister switches on the conveyer belt. Once inside, the coffin is torn apart, the body is x-rayed and all metals lying within the human body are removed. Once this process is over, the human remains move to the next furnace available.

Once the corpse is reduced to ash, most bones would still require further processing. At Eltham, stainless steel spheres reduce bones to tiny particles. When the entire process is over, the ashes are placed in an urn and handed over to the family.

Many families are faced with a public injustice. Where can they put their dead? Very few graves will be available where future generations can bury their loved ones. We have discussed this issue endlessly but public officials have still failed to address such an urgent moral dilemma.