Family has to be at root of any debate on divorce - PM

The point of departure for any discussion on divorce should be the consensus that the family is the most important structure and value in Malta, the Prime Minister said this afternoon.

He said that based on this undoubted fact, one could then discuss how to strengthen the family structure and also address the realities which people in the country were facing.

Dr Gonzi made his brief comment when he received the members of the Today Public Policy Institute, who presented him with their recent report entitled: For Worse, For Better: Re-marriage After Legal Separation.

The report says divorce legislation has become an urgent necessity and laws to regularise cohabiting couples are no substitute.

The Today institute also presented Dr Gonzi with a yet unpublished report on the affordability of Malta's social security system. The lead author was Joseph F.X. Zahra.

Referring to it, Dr Gonzi said the issue of affordability was a challenge which had been long coming and which the country needed to discuss and tackle away from partisan politics.

The presentations were made by Martin Scicluna, director general, The Today Public Policy Institute

See also:

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090516/local/think-tank-proposes-divorce-law