Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/565097
WWW.MALTATODAY.COM.MT WEDNESDAY EDITION WEDNESDAY • 2 SEPTEMBER 2015 • ISSUE 431 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY €1.00 EDITORIAL PAGE 10 Newspaper post Bishop refuses to explain why he has not dismissed paedophile priest JURGEN BALZAN MIRIAM DALLI GOZO bishop Mario Grech re- fused to answer questions on his decision to stand by a priest who was defrocked by the Vatican more than two years ago. Asked by this newspaper for his reaction, Grech retorted "do you mind if I don't?" and when pressed to give an answer he said "all your premises are wrong". Asked to elaborate, Grech said "I'll tell you some other time." On Sunday, MaltaToday re- vealed how a Gozitan priest who was defrocked by the Vatican in 2013 had not yet been notified of his dismissal by Grech. The priest in question, 63- year-old Dominic Camilleri, was investigated by the Maltese Church over the sexual abuse of minors. He had been accused of abusing a number of boys in Gozo over a number of years. Details are hazy since the cases were never reported to the po- lice. Informed sources said the Gozo bishop has not executed Camilleri 's dismissal, adding that this could be connected to the shamed priest's alleged threats to expose other cases of sexual abuse involving Gozitan priests. Sources told MaltaToday that this has led to a number of priests in Gozo reporting the bishop's misconduct directly to the Vatican. Meanwhile, Archbishop Charles Scicluna yesterday re- iterated his commitment that every case of abuse will be dealt with, putting at the forefront the protection of children, youths and the vulnerable. "I appreciate that the Gozo Bishop is committed to work hand-in-hand with the Commis- sion on every case… this is a sign of c o m m i t m e n t which I sup- port," Scicluna said, referring to the Church Commission for the Safeguarding of Children and Vul- nerable Adults. Gozo bishop Mario Grech refuses to explain why he chooses to stand by 'defrocked' priest while Archbishop Charles Scicluna reiterates his commitment to 'tackle' every case of abuse PAGE 5 Gozo bishop Mario Grech Teachers' union wants free public transport for students TIM DIACONO MALTA Teachers' Union presi- dent Kevin Bonello has strongly backed a proposal for the govern- ment to wholly subsidise public transport for secondary school students. Indeed, he believes that such a scheme should be extended to also include post-secondary and tertiary students. "While it may be costly, it will probably prove to be more cost- effective in the long run," Bonello told MaltaToday, claiming that such a scheme would kill two birds with one stone – easing traffic congestion and preventing school bus bullying. The proposal was included in a White Paper recently released by the Education Ministry that aims to find ways through which school logistics can reduce traffic congestion. If the government decides to go down that route for state schools, it can only do so from the 2018/19 scholastic year, as it is bound by five contracts with transport service providers entered into by the previous government in 2011. The contracts, which have no termination clauses, cost the state €7.87 million in the 2014/15 scholastic year and the cost is es- timated to increase. Bonello admitted that he doesn't understand why the previous ad- ministration had signed these contracts in the first place, and has called for an investigation into them. However, he said that the real problem with regard to parents driving their children to school, rather than opting for school transport, lies with private schools. "While state schools service children from their own locali- ties, independent and church schools incorporate students from all around the island, mean- ing that their school bus drivers have to pick up students from widespread areas," he explained. "Therefore, a student from Wied il-Ghajn who attends San Anton School could have to spend up to two hours on the school bus as it picks up students from the dis- trict, as well as in Cottonera, and drives to Mgarr. MUT president Kevin Bonello supports government's plans to subsidise public transport for students PAGE 4 Contraband case: Container carrying 10.5 million cigarettes exited Freeport without inspection PAGE 3