Tonight we shall be voting in the third and final vote of the Marriage Equality Bill. This is probably a milestone vote for our nation. Quite honestly, it should never have been. Tonight us members of Parliament will be making the most obvious and logical choice, something that should have been done years ago.
A lot has been said and discussed about the Bill. Some people tend to agree with the concept while others seem to have serious problems. However, one has to try and understand what we are doing here.
The basis of tonight’s vote is not that we are giving gay people any special right. All we are doing is ensuring that in this nation each and every person is treated equally, as a person, nothing more and nothing less.
Depending on the way we vote tonight, we politicians will be putting our money where our mouth is.
If we really believe that this is a nation where every one of us should have the opportunity to live our lives as we feel is best for us, for our family and for those around us, irrespective of who we are, where we come from or any other feature which may distinguish us, then tonight we have to vote in favour of such a Bill, otherwise it would be useless preaching that we believe in equal opportunities for all.
Tonight, there will be no losers. The law ensures equality, new rights. Nobody will be hurt but many people will see their lives improved
More than that, however, this goes down to the very fundamentals of politics and why every one of us MPs is in politics.
We understand that we are in politics to be of service to the people and to create a country for all.
It’s not about us but it should be more about the people. Yes, we all have our convictions, our opinions and our ideas, however, we have to understand that our actions have an effect on the lives of the people around us, people that we ourselves might not know personally.
As a result, we need to keep our eyes wide open and understand that what we do and what we say could cause grief and pain.
Therefore, we really must pay attention, we as politicians more than anyone else.
The past years – especially since our country became a full member of the European Union – saw Malta growing into a modern, cosmopolitan, European country. We worked hard for it and we earned it.
Now it’s a question of continuity – moving forward together.
Marriage equality ensures that our country does not discriminate between its citizens.
On the other hand, we can also understand that such a law can be sensitive, such that we have met people who expressed their opinion and their urge to vote against.
We fully respect such positions but it is our duty, as legislators, not only to convince, but also to ensure that our decisions are taken in the common interest, in the interest of all the Maltese and Gozitan people.
One must also remember that a month ago, marriage equality was promised by all political parties.
It is, therefore, our duty to ensure that such a pledge is implemented in the best manner possible.
Tonight, there will be no losers.
The law ensures equality, new rights. Nobody will be hurt but many people will see their lives improved.
It is about giving not about taking. This is Malta and, as we said during the campaign, tonight we will choose Malta.
Karl Gouder and Ivan Bartolo are Nationalist Party MPs.