Soap bubbles or restored dignity?

When Pope Benedict visited Malta, he had some recommendations to make and inter alia said: “You live in a society that is steeped in Christian faith and values. You should be proud that your country both defends the unborn and promotes stable family life by saying no to abortion and divorce. I urge you to maintain this courageous witness to the sanctity of life and the centrality of marriage and family life for a healthy society.”

Within a few years, our MPs neglected their appreciation of the moral and human values sustaining our Christian heritage dating back two millennia and never gave morality derived from religion the chance to shape our laws. Eventually, the introduction of divorce, the morning-after pill, same-sex marriage etc. had their toll through such a conspicuous and drastic change.

Let’s hope and pray that our hearty welcome and fleeting moments of clapping, cheers and flag waving are transformed into a weighty consideration and implementation of the pope’s recommendations. We need to reverse some past legislation not consonant with Catholic ethics and Malta’s religious heritage. The Catholic should never be an accomplice of legislation which goes against the common good as exposed by the Church.

So the challenge is now for our political leaders to take advantage of this unique opportunity. They will never be forgiven. Indeed, they will go down in history in ignominy if they fail us a second time.

John Azzopardi – Żabbar

Dismal service

Photo: Shutterstock.com

Why is it that ‘service’ providers are unable to provide a service without constantly harassing their customers?

A few evenings ago I had a threatening, pre-recorded phone call from a voice identifying itself as coming from GO. The threat was not precisely defined but the accusation was I had run out of time to pay my bill. 

In general, I am scrupulously careful about paying bills if not on time, before they are due. However, because the banking system in Malta no longer allows cheques under €20 I requested GO to set up a direct debit mandate.

On January 11 of this year, I filled in the company’s direct debit mandate form and despatched it to the company’s address at Marsa. (I have tried doing such a thing online and have been met with blank screens and comments such as ‘transferring’.  When I queried such a response with a real-life assistant, I got the reply that he did not know the answer.)

I am not able to go to the nearest GO office and stand for hours waiting for someone to assist, so I asked my very kind neighbour to take a cheque for an amount I guessed must be due by now. I do not know the exact amount as GO has not sent me a bill for this month, though they happily charge me for printed copies.

Candida Hasselman Dalby-Ball – Sliema

Uncollected package

My mother has been corresponding with a Monica (Mona) Schaefer née Tanti for 70 years. We have had the package sent to her for Christmas returned as it was not collected.

We are assuming she has passed away. I haven’t been able to find an obituary online and we don’t know when she may have died. Her last known address was in Msida.

I would appreciate any feedback and information on: andrea.kerr911@yahoo.com.

Andrea Kerr – Cheshire, UK

Bank charge waiver

While thanking the government for the cheques it will be sending us, would our banks help those who have no bank account to waiver the bank charge when cashing them?

Maria Meilak – Tarxien