Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1113313
21 LETTERS & EDITORIAL maltatoday | SUNDAY • 5 MAY 2019 Mikiel Galea People first, indeed I enjoyed reading the editorial in the MaltaToday of Sunday 21 April about the need of the common citizen to be treated more fairly: 'People First' it said. In the same issue, I also enjoyed reading the interview with Chev. Maurice Mizzi. At least we have met a businessman who is honest enough to accept the principle that rich people ought to give something back to the society that helped them be successful. What irked me was the title of the contribution by Perit Michael Falzon. It is understandable that he defends the Malta Developers Association but labelling them all as not greedy peo- ple! I tend to agree with him that there are among the developers those who may be willing to give back to society a little bit for the people's joy of the riches they garnered, if they are forced to, which is unlikely; but to say that they are not a greedy lot is a little bit far-fetched. I challenge il-Perit to find out and tell us about the small public garden opposite the Qawra Police Station which the hotel nearby swal- lowed up. They arrogantly disregarded the needs of the people outside. Would the other hotel in the same place take over the little space with imported sand that still exists across the road? It is a case of money first and not people first. How I wish to think that Maltese businessmen, the richest among the lot, are not so greedy and arrogant, and place people first! Not even the politician has the common citizen at heart let alone the greedy business- man. Give us back the beaches and the public gardens which have been un- justly taken up from us the common people, please. I hope our politicians and the new faces aspiring to win a seat in Europe will read this humble message. This is what the electoral program for the coming elections should consist. Oh, I forgot, they are more interested to gain political mileage arguing sense- lessly among themselves. We have seen them already. The common citi- zen will be much more impressed with less negative talk and more positive action. Joe Farrugia, Bugibba Letter to Ivan Bartolo MP NOT so long ago, a newspaper ac- count reported Nationalist MP Ivan Bartolo as saying, "I was one of the first to talk about homosexuality on the radio, back when it was still taboo." Claims call for relevant and appropriate evidence, inferences and warrants. Ivan, you never struck me as a gay activist. As far as I know, you do not have a history of engaging in public discourse in support of gay rights. You did not have a public profile on behalf of any gay group including the Malta Gay Support Group, Pride Organisa- tion Malta and the Malta Gay Rights Movement. So, I now call on you to provide answers: When did you become one of the first to talk about homosexuality on the radio? What was the duration of your intervention and what did you say? Do you have an excerpt? What was the radio programme? Were you presenting? If not, who? Did you identify yourself by your full name? Or were you simply an anonymous contributor to a call-back radio pro- gramme? Significantly, did you ac- knowledge your sexuality during this reported radio intervention? Why did you join a party that, in 1973, voted against the decriminalisa- tion of homosexuality in Malta and has a history of homophobia? Is this evidence of your commitment to gay rights, our cause? Why do you con- tinue to be a member of a party that failed to commit itself to the Civil Unions Act 2014? Do you think your party's support for same-sex marriage was a matter of expediency, and only of expediency? No doubt, you will agree with me that the public has a right to know, a right to be appropriately informed. I look forward to your unequivocal response to these questions. And, lest you forget, the evidence. Joseph Carmel Chetcuti, Victoria, Australia Letters & Clarifications