The parish priest of Zebbug in a statement today expressed regret for any incovenience caused to an electronics company which sponsored the anti-divorce billboard erected on the parvis of the parish church last Friday.

Fr Daniel Cardona said the billboard was part of a years-long campaign by the parish in favour of family unity and, therefore, against divorce.

The campaign had included literature on the parish leaflet and the billboards which the parish puts up on the parvis. The billbard is changed periodically.

Fr Cardona said the company which helped the parish cover part of the costs did not know about the contents of the billboard beforehand.

"The parish wishes to thank this company and other companies which regularly give financial help to the parish in its various publications," the parish priest said.

Meanwhile, the name of the sponsoring company on the anti-divorce billboard, Vision Tech, has been removed.

When contacted, Vision Tech manager Jason Grech did not seem too pleased with the free advertising he got when The Times published a photo of the billboard on its front page on Monday.

“I did not know The Times would publish it. You could have removed it. I never asked for free advertising. If things become more complicated and we need to take legal steps, we will,” he said.

He stressed he was not aware of the content of the billboard and was simply approached by the parish to help it financially, something his company and many others did on a regular basis.

He would not take a position on the divorce issue. “I’m not in favour or against divorce. It’s not something I need to deal with. There are decision makers for that. I was just asked to sponsor a billboard and I did not know what the content would be.”

He pointed out that cigarette manufacturer Rothmans used to sponsor football but it did not mean smoking was good for footballers.

He said he was surprised by the reaction to the advert. “How was I meant to know it would turn into such a hot issue?”

Meanwhile, the planning authority has confirmed the billboard was legal because socio-religious billboards are exempt from requiring a permit, as long as they were not erected for more than 21 days. Since it was placed last Friday it can remain there until August 5.