Rector asks students to take decision on condom machine

A decision to install a condom machine on campus will have to be taken by the students' council after a request made by a student organisation to the University rector was shunted back into the students' court.

In a letter, Rector Juanito Camilleri informed the student association Move that the decision was not for him to take but for the University Students' Council (KSU).

Byron Camilleri, from Move, said they were disappointed that the rector had "brushed off his responsibility". Since the condom machine would be placed in Student House, the rector said the decision should be taken by the council, Mr Camilleri said.

However, the council said yesterday the executive committee had no statutory authority to take a stand without the necessary approval from its social policy commission.

"KSU is and will always be loyal to its statutory obligations and, as such, until a decision by KPS is taken, it will refrain from commenting on issues relating to social policy," it said.

It called on student organisations to give their feedback in the commission meetings. "If need be, a vote will be taken."

The debate about installing a condom machine on cam-pus has been going on for the past 10 years. Only recently, a promotional stunt by Vodafone, in which their representatives distributed free condoms, caused outrage among some students who called the marketing ploy "offensive" and "irresponsible".

Move decided to make its request for a condom machine after a survey it published in December showed that more than two-thirds of students were in favour of its installation on campus.

Mr Camilleri said his organisation was pushing for the machine to be installed as a means to prevent sexually-transmitted diseases and not to promote sex.

An application to the council was filed yesterday. "Hopefully, they will back our request," he said.

When asked about the government's policy on the issue in Parliament, Education Minister Dolores Cristina recently said it was up to the students.