Letters to the editor – April 5, 2025

Authoritarian regime

The intermittent messages being sent by our prime minister show his tendency for the population to follow his advice. He is presumably acting as an adviser lawyer for unsolicited advice.

The latest example of such authoritarian advice was for the families to take care of what goes in their shopping baskets. I wonder if his own family follows his advice. 

Prime Minister Robert Abela. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

He thinks this will solve the problem of the high cost of living. Instead of taking the bull by its horns, he places this problem on our doorstep.

The almost usurpation of the Public Broadcasting Services, condemned on many occasions by our high court, is another example of where the nation is being led to.

The prime minister and his government are treating us as if we are living in the Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea. This ‘take it or leave it’ attitude leaves much to be desired.

When our courts revoke planning permissions, the Planning Authority disregards, in some cases, the judgments. Is not this an authoritarian regime?

I try to watch and hear democracy at work in parliament but I give up when I watch the Opposition’s motions thrown down the drain. The parliamentary speaker surely earns his bit of salt.

The population expects a government to lead it by righteous actions and good examples.

Anthony Saliba – St Paul’s Bay

Women’s dignity

Various reasons have been mentioned to account for the massive increase in violence, domestic or otherwise, against women.

Widespread pornography is certainly one of them because it depicts women as objects to be used or abused at will. 

It deprives women of their dignity as human beings.

Carmel Sciberras – Naxxar

Dubious initiatives

So, 17-year-olds are the next to be offered a bribe (I mean, incentive) to defer driving for four years.

Apart from the enforcement arguments, as put forward by Joe Public in response to the previous blanket offer of money in return for driving licences, all hail the mass return of scooters on Malta’s inadequate roads. Talk about a U-turn.

Surely, instead of squandering public money on dubious initiatives the authorities should have the gumption to tackle excessive cars on the road by using the stick as well as carrots. 

What about applying levies to households owning more than two cars? This would also generate income for the government. Say for the health system and education.

Not popular, for sure, but a government crowing about unassailable majorities is best placed to do the right thing by the country surely.

Anna Micallef – Sliema