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maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 13 JANUARY 2016 News PM's aide stands by Facebook swipe at Archbishop, PN wants action Former journalist Glenn Bedingfield has suggested on Facebook that Archbishop Charles Scicluna 'has entered a kid's bedroom' MAT THEW VELLA ONE of the Prime Minister's aides, the former One News journalist Glenn Bedingfield, has attempted to associate Archbishop Charles Scicluna with a suggestion of paedo- philia, in a Facebook status that takes a dig against the head of the Maltese church. In a Facebook post, Beding- field – appointed to Muscat's side on a person-of-trust ba- sis – was reacting to Scicluna's statement on PBS's 'Reporter', in which he felt Joseph Mus- cat's New Year message had been ill-advised. "The Archbishop augurs that when the Prime Minister en- ters a kitchen, it would be a real one," Bedingfield wrote of Muscat's much-criticised fi- asco. "At least the Prime Min- ister did not enter some child 's bedroom." In a comment to MaltaToday, Bedingfield stuck by his right to express himself freely. "Free- dom of speech is there for all to enjoy and everyone has the right to comment and be criti- cised for such comments." The Opposition joined in the fray, demanding that the Prime Minister take action against the publicly-funded official. "This man is a consultant to the prime minister, who should shoulder responsibility and do something about this kind of language. The public expects him to stop this race to the bot- tom and put an end to his gov- ernment's mediocrity." The PN also said that among its 109 proposals for good gov- ernance, public officials will be required to comport them- selves as required by their pub- lic role when speaking in public or on social media. Archbishop Scicluna put in his two cents' worth into the controversy surrounding the Prime Minister's New Year video message, insisting that Joseph Muscat "should not have to put on an act". "The next time he visits peo- ple in their kitchen, I hope it will be for real," Scicluna said on Monday night's edition of 'Reporter' when asked for his opinion on Muscat. The much-maligned video featured Muscat visiting the kitchen of a young couple, who claimed to have benefitted from the Labour government's tax-ex- emption scheme for first-time home buyers. However, it later became known that the young man is actually the son of the owner of furniture company Construct Furniture, and that he had purchased his house with his wife back in 2008. "There is simply no need for the Prime Minister to put on an act," Scicluna said. This is not the first time that Bedingfield, who handles the co-ordination of Parliamen- tary Questions in the OPM's PQ Unit, has been found guilty of some controversial foot-in- mouth comments. Earlier in February 2015, Bedingfield re-tweeted a tweet by @Islamlie2, a successor to the blocked Twit- ter account for Stop Islam, an Italian Facebook group that has just 48 likes. The tweet, in Italian, read: "The only difference between the Koran and the Mein Kampf was that the latter was more 'moderate'," suggesting that Adolf Hitler's manifesto for Nazism, in which he insisted that Jews forcibly be pushed into Madagascar, was more moderate than Islam's holy book. Bedingfield is a former One News journalist who ran unsuccessfully in the 2004 European Parliament elec- tions. He was elected to the EP in a casual election for Muscat's seat when the new Labour leader vacated his MEP's seat to take up his seat in the Maltese parliament in 2009. Anonymous 'patriot' tells journalist who adopted refugees to move to Africa Police commissioner urged to investigate anonymous racist letter posted to Orizzont journalist Victor Vella TIM DIACONO A threatening letter was sent to l- Orizzont journalist Victor Vella, insinuating that he and his fam- ily should leave Malta because of his decision to house a family of refugees. "Why don't you, your family, and the immigrant family that lives with you do the country a big favour and move to Mogad- ishu or Khartoum?" the anony- mous author wrote. "Take your journalistic awards with you and find out if they're worth **** there." In the letter, the author praised the self-styled organisation of Maltese patriots (Ghaqda Patri- jotti Maltin), as well as anti-im- migration European leaders Ma- rine le Pen, Victor Orban, Matteo Salvini, and "the Polish far-right leader who just got elected" "Joseph [Muscat] and Simon [Busuttil] are both a scourge of Malta. PN and PL have no shame. They have ****** our country. "Illegal immigrants, refugees or otherwise, should all be kicked out." The Institute of Maltese Jour- nalists called on the police com- missioner to investigate the rac- ist letter. Alternattiva Demokratika chairperson Arnold Cassola also condemned the racist letter and praised Vella's family for having adopted children. "They are shining examples of generosity and altruism," he said in a statement. The General Workers' Union, owners of l-Orizzont, strongly condemned the "cowardly act of intimidation" against one of its journalists. "The anonymous letter sent to Vella is nothing but a cowardly act from a person who refuses to accept differing opinions and views," the GWU said in a state- ment. "The days of living in fear are long ago, but unfortunately some people still believe that they can win arguments through threats and intimidation." The union added that it would continue "promoting social in- clusion," because "tolerance, in- tegration and respect are the best tools with which to defeat hatred and xenophobia." Patriots' leader disowns letter Alex Pisani, the leader of the self-styled patriots, disowned the anonymous letter that was "sup- posedly" sent to Vella. "The person who wrote that letter did so to try and smear our organisation's name," he said in a Facebook post. "Our official let- ters always contain a logo and a signature from either the presi- dent or secretary general. "Anyone who thinks that such disgusting actions will hinder us are wrong." nalists called on the police com- missioner to investigate the rac- ist letter. chairperson Arnold Cassola also condemned the racist letter and praised Vella's family for having adopted children. generosity and altruism," he said in a statement. owners of l-Orizzont, strongly condemned the "cowardly act of intimidation" against one of its journalists. Glenn Bedingfield and (inset) the Archbishop on 'Reporter' The letter sent to l-Orizzont journalist Victor Vella (inset)