Disillusioned voter

Unless I decide to stay at home on election day or spoil my ballot in some spectacular way, I shall be faced with the choice of voting for the two main political parties, ADPD and, probably, a handful of independent candidates.

Labour? But how can my conscience let me, knowing that its soul stinks to high heaven? And when I think of how Adrian Delia, elected fair and square as PN leader, was treated and other examples of hypocritical behaviour, then will it still absolve me from voting for the lesser of the two evils? ADPD? I have always given them (that is, AD in those days) my vote. But now,it seems that this party has come out in favour of abortion in certain cases.

I believe with all my heart, body and soul that only God is good – yes, God! You know, He who once came among us and wasn’t really enamoured of the ruling classes in Judea. And that belief has been amply reinforced over the years by the behaviour of certain politicians and their acolytes, some of the biggest humbugs walking this earth. Yet, the former, at least so far, do not just waltz in and select their parliamentary seats for they must first be given to them by the voter.

I, therefore, take to task all my fellow members of the electorate who accord the trappings of power to these people only to have them abuse it in the vilest of ways. But why should they care as long as they’ve been “accommodated”?

It appears that we’re in for another five years of Labour. Vox populi vox Dei? Poppycock!

Martin Bugeja – Balzan

Monstrous development to replace retreat house

The proposed development at Porziuncola House

A meeting was held on February 19 at the Seminary, in Tal-Virtù, between Paul Attard for Katari Holdings and the Franciscan Friars of the Maltese Franciscan Province of St Paul, regarding the proposed development of the former Porziuncola Retreat House, in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq into an elderly home, six storeys high and accommodating 400 people.

When asked by me if an environmental impact assessment was made prior to permission being granted by the Planning Authority, Attard candidly said that, according to EU rules and regulations, in this case no environmental impact assessment was required. He also added that “an EIA is irrelevant”.

I don’t know if this was a Freudian slip. But I know for sure that an EIA is definitely not irrelevant to the families living in the surrounding area. Moreover, it shouldn’t be irrelevant, of all people, to us Franciscan friars who, incidentally, on that same occasion were celebrating the centenary of the Regula Non Bullata of St Francis in which the poverello of Assisi insists that the friars had to embrace a life of poverty and simplicity.

Ironically, just before the aforementioned meeting was held, a short informative talk about the final document of the last general chapter of the Order of Friars Minor was delivered, wherein the Franciscan values of justice, peace and integrity of creation, supposedly so dear to us followers of St Francis, are emphasised.

If this is the attitude adopted by developers, no wonder they are ruining what is left of our beautiful country. As Franciscans, we ought to remember that when we had our solemn profession we didn’t profess to live our life abiding by the rules and regulations of the European Union but by the rule of the Gospel and the holy rule of St Francis of Assisi.

While I understand and appreciate the fact that our provincial administration is doing its utmost in the best interest of the Province, which, from personal experience, I know is not always easy and for which I am sincerely grateful, I wholeheartedly believe that we cannot do this at the expense of third parties living in the area and of the surrounding environment.

It is with a heavy heart that I say that I am not at all proud of this and that it is not being done in my name.

Fr Richard Stanley Grech OFM, former minister provincial, Franciscan Province of St Paul the Apostle, Malta – Rabat

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