Letters to the editor – April 25, 2025

Spurious ‘reproductive healthcare’

Peter Dingli, from California chose to react (‘Reproductive rights and healthcare’, April 17) to Tony Mifsud’s warning against the use of chemical abortifacients (‘The harm of drug-induced abortion’, April 8).

Does Dingli realise that life starts at conception? Is he aware that abortion, the deliberate killing of human life, is illegal in Malta?

Abortion is an evil act and it is anything but healthcare. 

A pro-life rally in Malta. File photo: Times of Malta

Dingli’s claim that abortion reduces maternal mortality is absolute nonsense.  Also, the term ‘reproductive healthcare’ is just a false label used by those who peddle abortion. This so-called ‘healthcare’ produces death, the death of the weakest and most innocent at the dawn of their life.

In Malta, we have people brazenly promoting the killing of nascent life. There is nothing nuanced about this heinous reality. 

Mifsud is spot on when he highlights the scandalous paralysis of the Medical Council. Meanwhile, the government seems unwilling to uphold the most fundamental law, the law that safeguards the right to life.

Klaus Vella Bardon – Balzan  

Unfair service 

I wish to comment of the service offered by Bolt cabs. On booking a ride, the cost shows up immediately but when one confirms the ride, sometimes, the price increases by €2 and even more. Furthermore, I recently booked a ride one evening for St Patrick’s church, in Sliema to attend a memorial mass. I was carrying my walking aid but the driver refused to let me into his cab because he maintained that I should have booked ‘Bolt Assistance’. 

It goes without saying that I missed the mass. 

Godfrey Gauci Maistre – Sliema

Gozo left out of magazine

On a recent flight with KM Malta Airlines, I leafed through their inflight magazine Passaġġi, issue 06 – April 2025, and a glaring omission struck me.

Gozo, Malta’s sister island, barely features in what should be a national showcase of our islands’ charm and character.

Apart from a brief mention of the Ġgantija Temples on page 13 in a section contributed by Heritage Malta, and a lone article on page 42 titled ‘Greetings from Gozo in the Green Season’, there is no concerted effort to promote Gozo. This is deeply disappointing, especially considering this magazine is often a first touch point for tourists just arriving in Malta.

Compounding the issue, the article in question contains a photo captioned ‘Qbajjar salt pans’ when, in fact, the article clearly refers to the Xlendi salt pans, a detail that would confuse any first-time visitor. With no accompanying map and little geographical clarity, such an article leaves readers disoriented instead of inspired.

Pages 14 and 15 feature a prominent double-spread by ‘Visit Malta’. It begs the question: Why isn’t there a similar feature by Visit Gozo? If we are truly promoting a multi-island destination, shouldn’t Gozo have equal representation? Gozo deserves more than passing mentions. If our national airline’s magazine cannot give proper space to the distinct identity, natural beauty and cultural wealth of Gozo, then we must ask: Where is the strategy for fair tourism promotion?

Emmanuel Galea – Victoria