Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/691413
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 12 JUNE 2016 26 Letters THE Archbishop's Curia has confirmed it has never reported any cases in which it found members of the clergy guilty of sexual abuse during their pastoral minis- try, to the police. Two weeks after MaltaToday's report on the consignment of the Curia Re- sponse Team's investigations into sex abuse crimes by clerics, the Curia told Church-owned newspaper Il-GensIllum that it never stopped anyone from taking their case to the police. The Curia has stated that injured par- ties are free to report any case to the po- lice. MaltaToday had reported that investi- gations into sexual abuse by priests were destined to gather dust in the curial se- cret archives, unless civil authorities intervene to unlock the information on cases which were never reported to the police. Asked what justification existed for the Curia not to report to the police any al- legations brought to it by victims, Butti- gieg said the Criminal Code provided that, with some exceptions, no criminal proceedings could be instituted except on complaint of an injured party. But Buttigieg also said the Church does not betray an injured party who wishes not to have his experience made known to the civil authorities or to the public. Yet there is no legal obligation for such information to be taken to the police, legal sources say. "If anything there is a moral obligation, but nothing to oblige the Church authorities from handing over any information to the police." According to Canon Law, when the Bishop receives information about an of- fence, he is to inquire either personally or through a delegate, about the facts and circumstances of an allegation of sexual abuse. After conducting its own inquiries, the Curia Response Team reports to the Bishop whether there are reasonable or probable grounds to believe that there has been a situation of sexual abuse. If the Bishop concludes that there are such grounds, he shall give directions over the provision of assistance to both victim and abuser "in order to ensure that situations in which similar abuses could be committed, be avoided," Butti- gieg said. Buttigieg said that any action over cler- ics found guilty of sexual abuse is taken "according to the particular circum- stances of the case", with the aim that "probable offenders" do not come into any contact with any possible victims. Despite media reports on the Curia Re- sponse Team's handling of sex abuse cas- es in the church, the police does not take action on anonymous reports or infor- mation unless these are flagrant offences. In January 2006, a Nadur priest fled from Gozo to the United States after complaints of alleged child sex abuse by the priest were referred to the Curia for investigation. Nadur archpriest Mgr Salvu Muscat had confirmed he referred complaints to the Curia from parents whose children they claimed had been sexually abused by the priest. A MaltaToday survey held in April re- vealed that 88 per cent of respondents believed the Church should report cases of sexual abuse involving priests to the police, expressing disagreement with its controversial policy of dealing with sex abuse internally. Curia says it never reported sex abusers to police Send your letters to: The Editor, MaltaToday, MediaToday Ltd. Vjal ir-Rihan, San Gwann SGN 9016 | Fax: (356) 21 385075 E-mail: newsroom@mediatoday.com.mt. Letters to the Editor should be concise. No pen names are accepted. Do British expats wish to remain in the EU? Mike Turner (3 June) rebutted Tim Diacono's claim in his report when expressing discontentment at his less than judicious and prudent conclusions which were based on fatuous claims, which Mr Turner kindly referred to as 'misleading' when clearly they were false and vexatious suppositions. Mike Turner claims that 'there are many Brits in Malta who support Brexit' but failed to elaborate or expound upon how many is 'many?' At least he didn't imply that all Brits are in favour of a Brexit! And that forms the basis of my concern. As MaltaToday usually produce and provide a more balanced viewpoint backed up by statistics such as: How many British Expats resident in Malta are eligible to vote in this forthcoming in/out EU referendum in the UK? How many eligible voters have registered to vote in this referendum?How many intend/pro- pose to exercise their right to vote in this upcoming referendum? How many eligible voters are still undecided which way they will vote – the 'don't know'? How many will vote to leave or remain? Mr Turner unequivocally declared that the recent 'conference' was convened to 'discuss a Brexit', when clearly (if this was the case) this intended purpose was irresponsibly hidden by the EP Information Of- fice (Malta) by its misleading public seminar banner headline which never indicated that the sole pur- pose of organizing such a confer- ence/public seminar (incidentally, at what cost?) was to solely discuss a Brexit – so why suggest or assume/ presume such? I did however, for what it is worth, agree with the bulk of Mr Turner's submissions but not Mr Diacono's as I consider it irresponsible to submit unfounded and clearly ill-re- searched 'findings' based on a select few (the famous five) and their pres- cient conclusions, which implicitly implied these reflected the views of all British ex-pats in Malta! Not the majority, not the many, not the most, but rather all of them, in what they 'feared' leaving the EU. And whilst Mr Turner's article goes a little way to addressing such an imbalanced and biased conclusion, it doesn't remotely go far enough into providing a more comprehen- sive and impartial and accurate overview of the actual situation, which may only be determined and established via more accountable and detailed research. I sincerely hope that come 24 June I will be able to enjoy my favourite meal – a full English Brexit! And rid ourselves once and for all time of the unaccountable elite. Peter Murray Mellieha 26 June, 2006 Questionable development at St Peter's Pool To grin and bear it It is incredible how outside development zone permits are not inspected after the owner has finished the work. At St Peter's Pool there are farmhouses that do not respect the original application. For example a 4 x 4 sqm room in one tumolo of agricultural land will be transformed into a lodging farmhouse with 10 bedrooms, a pool and a relaxa- tion area a few metres from the beach. Is this legal to make a nice quiet place into a disco area? Where are the building inspectors to report these new buildings? P. Borg Via email If John Guillaumier (Letters) is cu- rious about my views on the subject of the death of children, he must buy another paper. After all, I have always been on the defensive reply- ing to Mr Guillaumier's incessant vociferous unholy crusade, so let me dream with a humorous touch: I visualize Mr Guillaumier as a robust muscled gladiator in the middle of the arena waiting for the lions to be unleashed but instead a dozen guinea pigs squirm from their cages in combat. Easy prey, with the sepulchral enforced silence all around and an unusual hilarious spectacle. I'll continue with a lighter vein, far more pleasant than Guillaum- ier's Don Quixotic adventure in the press. Placido Domingo holds the record for being applauded for 80 minutes after singing in Othello in 1991. After the resignation of Pope Benedict, a group of Spanish youths organised a standing ova- tion of 90 minutes hopefully to be registered in the Guinness Book of Records. It was dedicated to Pope Benedict. Indeed he was a star! And so say all of us. But let's not forget that in the firmament there is a far brighter blinking light, the super- star Jesus Christ, the Son, the sun. John Azzopardi Zabbar Golf course at Bahar ic-Caghaq I suggest that the government should consider the great potential that the stretch of land at Bahar ic-Caghaq can offer to the tourist industry. The area is ideal for a 22-hole golf course and the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association should be given the opportunity to develop this area in partnership with the government. In so doing we will be able to attract a select top quality tourist to our island. J. Aquilina Bahar ic-Caghaq