Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/244624
News maltatoday, SUNDAY, 19 JANUARY 2014 Bishop's call for 'secret' vote on civil unions refuted by party whips JURGEN BALZAN AUXILIARY Bishop Charles Scicluna's call for a "free and secret" vote on the civil unions bill has been refuted by both government and Opposition whips, who agreed that a secret vote is not allowed by parliament's rules. Writing on the Maltese archdiocese's online news website newsbook.com.mt, Scicluna – the most vocal critic of gay unions and adoptions in Maltese society – said all MPs should have a free vote "and the possibility to express themselves in a secret manner". Scicluna said this would ensure that MPs vote "conscientiously" and honour their oath of allegiance. But government whip Carmelo Abela told MaltaToday that there was no need for a free vote since the civil unions bill was included in the Labour Party's electoral programme and all candidates were aware of this before the election. "The civil unions proposal was an electoral promise and former MP Adrian Vassallo refused to contest the election because he opposed such a law. All candidates were aware of this and we all had the opportunity to take a similar decision," he said. In the coming weeks, MPs will debate law that will give gay couples the same rights and obligations as married opposite-sex couples, including the right to apply for adoption as a couple. Abela said adoption was a non- Auxiliary Bishop Charles Scicluna issue since single parent adoptions – whether straight or gay – were already possible, and that the civil unions bill would allow the same to apply for gay couples. Opposition whip David Agius concurred with his counterpart, saying that secret votes are prohibited by parliamentary rules. While saying he had no qualms in discussing any changes to these rules in the future, Agius insisted that he was personally opposed to holding secret ballots. "I disagree with secret votes because MPs are accountable to their electorate and voters have a right to know how their representatives vote. MPs should not fear anything when voting in parliament and they must stand up to be counted," Agius said. However, Agius did not exclude granting MPs a free vote. "The bill is still at committee stage and we have to wait and see whether the Opposition's amendments go through. If they are accepted by parliament, then we will have no difficulty in voting for the bill. However, if our amendments fall through or only some of them are accepted, we will discuss it and take a decision within the parliamentary group." The Opposition has expressed itself in favour of civil unions in principle but has moved amendments to make a clear distinction between civil union and civil marriage, and to remove any reference to adoptions in the law. MPs cannot cast a secret ballot according to the House of Representatives' standing orders, which clearly says that votes shall be taken "openly and entered in the minutes of the proceedings of the House". Moreover, the Constitution stipulates that the Speaker has the right to exercise a casting vote if the votes are equally divided. Allowing a secret vote would defeat the purpose of this Constitutional article, because as confirmed in a ruling given by Lawrence Gonzi in 1994, when he was Speaker of the House, it would make little sense to hold a secret ballot while allowing the Speaker to cast his vote in the eventuality of a tie. In his newsbook.com.mt blog, Bishop Scicluna argued that in their oath of allegiance, MPs "call on God to be a witness of their personal loyalty towards the people and the Republic," referring to MPs' solemn oath to God to "bear true faith and allegiance to the people and the Republic of Malta and its Constitution". Scicluna said the MPs' oath was not only a civil act, "but above all a religious act, because to swear means calling on God to be a witness to your commitment. This commitment is guaranteed by what is good and what is right, which is God". "The fact that MPs take an oath invoking God, when they have the choice to make a secular oath, meant that their commitment is guaranteed by their faith in God and His presence." Scicluna added that God was "witness to their every action" and that MPs cannot divest themselves of their faith when performing parliamentary duties. In a recent interview with Avvenire, the Italian Episcopal Conference's newspaper, Scicluna said that a Catholic MP who supports civil unions and gay adoptions would be committing "a gravely immoral act". The interview provoked firm reactions by both Prime Minister Joseph Muscat who reaffirmed the separation between State and Church affairs, and PN deputy leader Mario de Marco who suggested that it would be "immoral to vote against the [civil unions bill]". jbalzan@mediatoday.com.mt Don't just listen to us, listen to our clients 99% rate our service as good or excellent 77% have already recommended us to their family and friends* Avoid long waiting lists and choose your own doctor in your time of need Ask Atlas for a health insurance quote on 21 322 600 or atlas.com.mt People you can trust Atlas Healthcare Insurance Agency Limited is authorized under the Insurance Intermediaries Act 2006, to act as agents for AXA PPP healthcare Limited and is regulated by the MFSA. *In a 2013 survey of more than 400 claimants.