Celebrating Mother’s Day

Year in year out, there is this one day when we think of our mother, of all that she did for us and of all that she means to us.

This is also a day when those women who unexpectedly find themselves in a mother-to-be situation should deeply reflect on whether to opt for the easier solution of abortion or to go the whole hog and, at the end of the day, treasure the satisfaction of motherhood.

It is also the day to celebrate the great progress and inroads that modern medicine and science have made enabling those women who, until a few years ago, much as they wished, could never expect to become mothers but now are able to realise their long coming dream.

On this day too, let us not forget to think of and reach out to those mothers who, for years, have been the silent and hidden victims of domestic violence so that they find the courage and support to continue coming out into the open and reclaim their just rights and dignity.

Memories of one’s mother never fade away, no matter how many years will have gone by in our lives.

Mark Said – Msida

Donations through the Malta Individual Investor Programme

I refer to the front page report ‘Michelle Muscat’s charity got passports donations push’ (April 25).

The Marigold Foundation categorically denies what was alleged in this report.

This report gives the absolutely false impression that the Marigold Foundation is given ‘preference’ over other non-governmental organisations in dona­tions made through the Malta Individual Investor Programme.

On the contrary, official information that has been publicly available for months shows that a large number of local non-governmental organisations have benefited from donations through the Malta Individual Investor Programme.

Among others, information published in the annual report of the Malta Individual Investor Programme Regulator shows that, over a period of two years, out of 266 donations which were made, only four were for the Marigold Foundation. 

Many of the other donations went to other philanthropic, religious and social organisations from other fields. Both the number of donations and the amounts of money given to these organisations and entities and others with them are much larger than those given to the Marigold Foundation.

To date, the Marigold Foundation has received a total of €50,500 in donations from 11 individuals through the Malta Individual Investor Programme. The amounts of these donations ranged from €1,500 to €8,000.

At the same time, contrary to the false impression given, the Marigold Foundation did not receive questions about the donations it received through the Malta Individual Investor Programme before The Sunday Times of Malta published its report.

The journalist who wrote the article confirmed to the foundation that he sent questions by e-mail on the domain marigold.com and not on marigold.org.mt.

Therefore, these questions could never have reached the foundation. The same questions were also sent to an obsolete personal e-mail.

Despite the ongoing and systematic misinformation campaign against it, the Marigold Foundation is committed in continuing to help its partners in the community, as it has done in recent years with almost 30 entities in different sectors, including Caritas and Id-Dar tal-Providenza.

Jennifer Xuereb – Executive Secretary, Marigold Foundation - BOV in the Community, Valletta

EDITOR’S NOTE: The story was based on Henley & Partners documents showing the Marigold Foundation was promoted internally as a good charity to donate to. Far from stating the foundation was given ‘preference’, the article expressly stated there was no way to ascertain from the documentation whether this push was successful. While the journalist acknowledged having erroneously sent one of the e-mails with questions to the wrong address, another e-mail with the same questions was sent to the address normally used to communicate with the Marigold Foundation. We can assure the foundation that Times of Malta has no plan to carry out some ‘systematic misinformation campaign’ against it.

Omissions

I compliment the eminent Francophile Charles Xuereb on a truly interesting article on Napoleon Bonaparte’s short sojourn in Malta. (May 2). I note, however, that he forgot to mention the wholesale plunder of Malta’s treasures by the Citizen General.

Most of this plunder still lies at the bottom of Aboukir Bay on board the remains of the French flagship L’Orient, sunk by Nelson in August 1798.

Neither did he bother to mention the execution of Maltese patriots who did not see eye to eye with the French.

Yes, the Convention did indeed abolish slavery in the French colonies in 1794 and, later, in Malta in 1798. However, in 1804, Napoleon, Emperor of the French, made slavery legal again in the colonies, so had we remained French I suppose we might eventually have had the pleasure of seeing slavery reintroduced by our French masters.

Charles Gauci – Chief Herald of Arms of Malta, Sannat

Touristic prostitution?

The thought of giving €200 to each tourist who comes to Malta this summer makes me want to cringe!

Is this not a form of touristic prostitution?

Obviously, the aim is to attract tourists to Malta, rather than to other Mediterranean countries. To start with, this is definitely going to attract the low-income backpack tourist.

Furthermore, what about the enormous danger of starting another surge of the COVID-19 pandemic, at a time when we seem to be doing so well?

How about instead giving what will amount to millions of euros to be shared among the families of the over 400 loved ones who were sadly lost on these islands during this pandemic? Finally, as a medical doctor, I fear this is a selfish, shameful and sinister move, during a prolific pandemic, which is far from being over.

Col. Raymond Bencini – Żebbuġ

Dog owners’ responsibilities

It should become illegal for dog owners to let their dogs urinate in corners of houses and buildings.

Certain owners take their dogs purposely to corners and the resulting stench is unbearable. The area ends up looking like a dog’s toilet.

So, come on dog owners, let’s love our dogs but love the environment too. Do your bit by steering your pooches away from those horrible dirty corners created by irresponsible owners and make them relieve themselves in a more environment-friendly area.

Alfred Gauci – Sliema

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