Abortion

Isabel Stabile (‘Right to abortion’, October 24) took to task four different contributors who previously expressed their views against abortion. This after having challenged, on other occasions, many others whose pro-life views had been published in this newspaper.

It is significant that she chose the above-mentioned heading when it was made amply clear by so many previous contributors that a right to abortion does not exist as this involves killing an innocent being and is tantamount to murder.

I will not repeat here the extensive and very valid arguments brought forward by the pro-life lobby but will comment on one vital point in a statement made by Stabile.

She said that the services of the FPAS (obviously, the abortion advocates) comprise “…ongoing support for all possible choices, including parenting, adoption and, yes, also abortion”.

These are indeed noble ideals with the exception of abortion.

Adoption is certainly to be encouraged as a solution to those mothers who are unwilling to take care of their offspring. Abortion – even for those who feel they are not bound by the commandment ‘thou shalt not kill’ – does not only go against the oath Stabile took when she assumed her medical profession and later opted to specialise as an obstetrician and gynaecologist that she would protect life and not assist in the criminal act of taking the life but also is a criminal act according to the laws of Malta because, I repeat, a completely innocent being (not just a lump of cells) is murdered.

Anthony Curmi – St Julian’s

A spot-on description

Some weeks before the 2013 general election, I was invited to participate in what may be described as a political survey. The invitation came from a business acquaintance who owned and managed a PR/recruitment agency.

This was not a common ‘fill-in- the-blanks/tick-the-box’ questionnaire but an interpersonal meeting of some 10 persons sitting around a conference table. It was very evident that the participants did not know each other or had ever met before. Quite a feat in Malta.

The survey was based on a tell-all confidential basis. Those who commissioned the survey were kept under tight wraps and the proceedings were conducted by the boss himself.

The exercise started off with the moderator showing the participants large photos of political personalities and asking us to identify them.  Kindergarten stuff, I silently mused. The survey advanced to more interesting and complex questions.

The group was then asked to describe the then leader of the opposition, Joseph Muscat in one short sentence with each participant giving his view in a round robin fashion.  The respondent preceding me – a relatively tall gentleman ,as I recall – opted to say it all in one word.

“Charlatan,” he firmly said. Although I was familiar with the meaning of the noun, I later looked it up in the online dictionary to ensure that my comprehension was spot on.

Throughout Muscat’s premiership, I kept wondering whether the gentleman’s assessment was fair.

With hindsight, I bet my bottom euro that the survey had been commissioned by the Labour Party.

Victor Pisani – Birżebbuġa

Bernard Grech’s tax issues

I refer to Eddy Privitera letter ‘Bernard Grech’s unresolved tax issues’, a letter against anything PN. He bombarded Grech – then still a contender for the post of leader of the opposition – and was scandalised because Grech had to settle tax arrears, which he paid in a jiffy.

Inland Revenue do not mind if your taxes are in arrears. It is owned millions of uncollected euros, however, as long as you pay your dues in stages and consistently to the final euro, you are considered clean.

Grech could have paid in stages; he could have even contested the bill but because he is sincere he decided to pay the whole amount. This he could do because he had always saved for a rainy day.

People in glass houses should not throw stones. Had Privitera written about what has been going on in his glorious Labour Party for about a decade or so, he should feel ashamed.

There are Joseph Muscat (the former prime minister considered the biggest crook in Europe), Chris Cardona (red light), Konrad Mizzi (Panama) and Keith Schembri (kickbacks) to mention but a few, and I am being very generous.

Karl Flores – San Ġwann

Letters to the editor should be sent to editor@timesofmalta.com. Please include your full name, address and ID card number. The editor may disclose personal information to any person or entity seeking legal action on the basis of a published letter.