Allow us women to be in charge of our own bodies

I refer to the letter ‘A birthday is a right not an elite privilege’ by Anton de Piro (August 22).

What a preachy letter from what I suspect is a privileged young man. But for its dangerous inaccuracies, it would have been simply an immature and incomplete interpretation of a catechism of the Catholic Church.

To be specific, the UK law, which he misrepresents, allows abortions for the following reasons: because of the risk to the life of the pregnant woman; to prevent grave permanent injury to the physical and mental health of the pregnant woman; to prevent the risk of injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman or any existing children of her family (up to the limit of 24 weeks of gestation); to prevent a substantial risk that if the child is born it would “suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped”.

None of these reasons is adequate for de Piro and he is entitled to his opinion. But what is particularly galling is his final claim: “or who are not the sex their parents were hoping for (all legal reasons for abortion in the UK).” There is no such provision in UK law.

This misconception was the result of an anti-abortion ‘sting’ reported in The Daily Telegraph in the UK a decade ago. Analysis by the Office of National Statistics has not shown a change in the male/female sex ratio at birth overall or by ethnic group

In 2018, 97.7 per cent of abortions performed in England and Wales were to prevent injury to the physical and mental health of the pregnant woman.

The consideration as to whether or not any abortion should be legal, when, how and why, is much more complex than de Piro admits.

He completely denies the right of any woman to decide whether or not to bear a child who, for instance, would remind her daily of being the result of a devastating rape. Nowhere in his letter does he concede that women have any rights at all following conception, for personal safety or family well-being. That is very sad.

Women do actually matter and are on this earth not only to procreate. We can also walk and talk and think and predict at the same time, an act of multitasking many men don’t seem to be able to manage.

So, allow us women, please, to be in charge of our own bodies  as men so often fail to be in charge of theirs.

Sonja Besford – Rabat

In defence of Alfred Camilleri

I have often admired the courage shown by Kristina Chetcuti in her weekly articles.

However, I think she erred, in her article of July 25, in taking to task one of our best civil servants. Indeed, she expects him to oblate himself in martyrdom when his main task is to draw up the annual financial estimates.  

In my line of work, I have had occasion to mention Alfred Camilleri with other heads of department and junior executives and they have all invariably praised him, using words ranging from “upright” to “honest in his dealings” and from “dependable and resourceful” to “always takes into consideration the human element”.  

If any further proof were needed of this man’s calibre, one need only recall the praise which the three judges in the “Daphne inquiry” reserved for him.

Camilleri pushed forward reforms to satisfy Moneyval but additional action, in the circumstances, was a sine qua non, in the form of investigations and prosecutions. It is only natural for him, having drawn up a succession of ‘surplus budgets’ since 2013, to state he has a very ambitious plan to get Malta off the grey list in 18 months. 

He didn’t just limit himself to “a series of positive platitudes in public” but is hard at work on a very difficult job.

Katherine Gun worked at the British government intelligence agency and was bound by the Official Secrets Acts. She observed the rules, until she was asked to do something illegal. Is Chetcuti implying that Camilleri was asked to do something illegal?

If not, she will agree with me that this civil servant is “working for the Maltese people”. If yes, what evidence does she have with which to arm the state advocate and our chief of police? She could always do as Gun did and leak the evidence to the media.

Chetcuti suggests that Camilleri should have “blown the whistle on his own government” or else be accused of being part of it. Should any civil servant do that, he would be dismissed instantly. Does she not realise that the people of Malta would be worse off if Camilleri is replaced by a puppet?

Why single out Camilleri for a personal attack? Why state that “Alfred Camilleri witnessed a smoking gun”?

There are other targets for Chetcuti to get in her sights.

The Electrogas power station and the oil scandal: has anyone at Enemalta been asked to sacrifice himself?

Vitals and Mater Dei Hospital: have those at the ‘health’ authorities been named and shamed?

The Panama Papers and secret offshore bank accounts: have personnel at the IRD been singled out?

‘Dubious’ politicians wielding power when in government: have their ‘persons of trust’ been asked to show they are true Maltese?

Direct orders and building permits, present and past: has a finger ever been pointed at anyone at contracts or at the Planning Authority for not revealing the dirt involved?

Delinquent accountants, now and before: has anyone been specifically mentioned about the non-withdrawal of warrants?

Association with known criminals: have the delegates of the two major parties been named and lambasted for not revoking memberships ?

Rogue banks and dubious monetary schemes: has anyone at the MFSA been requested to make public those official documents which blessed this money-laundering marathon ?

Tankers berthing at regular intervals in Grand Harbour and rampant smuggling: has anyone at the ports or at customs been asked why they didn’t speak up publicly?

Lack of prosecutions, then and now: have those holding back action at the AG and the police been faced with a Constitutional Court case for not having played the hero?

If the “chief money launderers in this country are still at large”, as Chetcuti puts it, since when is the permanent secretary at the Ministry of Finance empowered to investigate, gather evidence and prosecute? He neither has the legal training nor the power of executive action.

This gentleman, Camilleri, should be left in peace to continue with his valuable work.

Tony Zammit – Birkirkara

The Bamboo School 

I would like to thank the Mission Fund (Malta) for its recent very generous financial support of our work at ‘The Bamboo School’ in the west of Thailand, very near the border with Myanmar.

In this school, De La Salle Brothers cater for over 500 stateless boys and girls through a full primary-level course. The schooling is absolutely free for these very needy kids and families and that includes tuition, books and stationery, uniforms, one meal a day as well as other ancillary services.

Obviously, we depend on and are grateful for any help we get both locally and abroad. I encourage everyone to be generous in donating to the Mission Fund that does sterling work by helping the workers on the ground.

You can send used stamps and make donations online or by direct bank transfer to one of the following accounts: BOV: IBAN No.: MT70VALL220130000000 16300798022; APS:  IBAN No.: MT67APSB77079005231820000 820762; BNF:  IBAN No.: MT94BNIF1450200000000087963101; LOMBARD: IBAN No.: MT65LBMA05000000000001440822115.

More information may be accessed from the website www.missionfund.org.mt.

Br Mario Zammit FSC – Sanghklaburi, Thailand

Forced out 

Peter Gatt’s case (July 18) reminds me somehow of my own. As from last October, I was forced to retire because I was refused an extension of appointment at the university, despite my faithful and dedicated service to the university for 28 years.

I asked the relevant university authorities several times for the reason of this refusal when there are others much older than me and medically in poorer states than me who were given the extension. I never received an answer. 

Charles Briffa – L-Iklin

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