Our next president

The next hot topic will undoubtedly be the person nominated for president. Chosen well, this is an opportunity to bring the country together. A number of valid persons are there to implement this if they are ready to undertake this role.

First among them should be Charmaine Gauci – non-political, wise and widely respected by all. She is also a woman and has proven to be able to rise to the occasion. A win-win situation for all.

If sticking to the political class is a sine qua non, Alfred Sant, who is bowing out of European politics, should be a strong contender. Widely credited for his honesty and integrity as well as ridding Labour of its thugs of the past, he is well respected by both sides.

Should Robert Abela be willing to extend the proverbial olive branch, as was done with his father by Lawrence Gonzi’s PN government, Giovanna Debono should surely be high on the list. Credited for her hard work and forced out of politics by mob rule following allegations that were proven unfounded, she will surely be a credit to the country. She too is a woman and keeps Gozo in the equation, which is just and fair.

Unfortunately, I fear that the main criterion for this high office seems to be a pro-abortion stance. This will be a major mistake. The great majority of the country is against abortion and this will only serve to further divide and not unify our nation.

Jason Zammit – Sliema

Undermining Fearne’s nomination

Barely had the prime minister announced that Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne was going to be the government’s nominee for the post of EU commissioner that the PN, through its MEP, David Casa and the PN’s candidate for the June election, Peter Agius made it abundantly clear that the PN will be doing its utmost to undermine Fearne’s nomination during the European Parliament’s scrutiny of EU commissioners’ nominations.

Deputy prime minister Chris Fearne

This was no surprise. Many would have been surprised had the PN announced that they would be backing Fearne’s nomination. How different from the way the Labour opposition had acted when the PN had announced its nominations for EU commissioner. The Labour Party gave its full support even if there were issues it could have raised against the PN’s nominees.

Fearne enjoys widespread acclaim, not just in our country – even among thousands of PN voters – but even more so on the European and international front. His recent appointment as president of the World Health Assembly is the best example.

Eleven years in opposition, up to now, and the PN has learned absolutely nothing! They must believe that being in opposition means opposing everything the government does. Thus confirming what the great majority of Maltese and Gozitans believe, namely, that, for the PN, their own party’s partisan interest comes far above Malta’s interest.

Eddy Privitera – Mosta

Not dependable

MaltaPost is no longer dependable.

In the last couple of years, several letters that were mailed to me through MaltaPost never arrived or were deposited by the postman in the wrong letterbox.

I dread posting or having anything mailed to me through MaltaPost.

John Guillaumier – St Julian’s