In an e-mail addressed to Mgr Guzeppi Mercieca on 19 June, the day after the Curia issued a statement saying that two religious radio stations can co-exist, Enzo Gusman complained that as a result of this decision, he and various other employees at Radio Calypso had lost their jobs.

The popular singer and radio presenter said he had lost his job and consequentally a salary of Lm136 a week. He maintained that it would be “practically impossible” for him to find a similar job.

Mr Gusman said the radio programmes he produced and presented always included a Christian element. In fact, he added that “many people who never listen to religious stations were getting a religious message in a subliminal manner... now they will start tuning in to another station with no Christian ‘teachings’!”

He asked whether there was the need of another local religious radio station, when three radio stations are already owned by political parties.

“Wasn’t it enough that the Church radio station was already there... and still is raking in a substantial part of the income derived from advertising (in) direct competition with the commercial stations which help turn the wheels of the economy?” Mr Gusman asked.

He asked whether this was some teaching of Jesus Christ which he, in spite of being a “fervent Christian”, did not know about.

Mr Gusman claimed that Radio Calypso was bought for “more than Lm150,000” and asked why this was not investigated by the Church.

When The Malta Independent on Sunday asked Fr Charles Fenech, Director of Programmes of Radju Marija Malta, whether this was true or not, he said that he could not comment at this stage since discussions to wrap up the sale of Radio Calypso’s shares were still underway.

However, Fr Fenech said in an interview (TMIS, 11 July): “The amount was quite substantial. Many times, this does not only involve the purchase of a licence but also to settle certain pendancies which would have accumulated over time.”

This newspaper tried various times to get the reaction of the former owner of Radio Calypso, Fr Benedict Camilleri, but to no avail.

In his e-mail, the Mr Gusman asked Mgr Mercieca “What am I supposed to do... now that, thanks to your banal decision I am unemployed?”

Mr Gusman suggested, with more than a hint of irony, that the Church should open a television station, a daily newspaper and a travel agency, like the political parties have already done, in their mission of evangelisation.

“You could also open a supermarket! In this way you would really destroy everybody using God as your excuse,” he added.

In his reply of 28 June, Fr Mario Camilleri, the Archbishop’s secretary, said they had passed on Mr Gusman’s e-mail to Fr Fenech.

Fr Camilleri said he was attaching Fr Fenech’s reply to Mr Gusman’s questions in his e-mail.

Fr Fenech said Radju Marija Malta acquired the licence of Radio Calypso “after the proprietors of the station were certain they were going to close it down”.

As regards the employees of Radio Calypso, he added, these are the reponsibility of the management of Radio Calypso Ltd. with the conditions for the termination of their employment regulated by the Employment and Training Corporation (ETC).

“The only entity that can reply to the questions regarding Mr Gusman’s termination of employment is the management of Radio Calypso,” Fr Fenech said.

He reiterated that Radju Marija Malta is wholly operated by voluntary people, does not air adverts and depends on donations sent in by listeners.

This policy follows the rules laid down by the World Family of Radio Maria, of which Radju Marija Malta is a member, Fr Fenech said.

As to whether another religious station was needed in Malta, he said this was confirmed by the 60,000 who signed the petition collected by Radju Marija Malta last September.

In answer to Fr Camilleri around an hour later, Mr Gusman said the Archbishop had “washed his hand like Pontius Pilate” and instead of replying himself, had left it to the director of Radju Marija Malta to do so.

He insisted that this station was preaching to the converted while those who are indifferent to religion are not getting any spiritual messages (like they used to get on Radio Calypso) since they do not tune in to Radju Marija Malta or RTK.

Asked to confirm whether there had been this exchange of correspondence between Mr Gusman and the Archbishop, Charles Buttigieg, the Curia’s public relations officer, told The Malta Independent on Sunday: “It is Archbishop Mercieca’s policy to respect the confidential nature of private contacts and exchanges.

“The Archbishop and the Archdiocese of Malta have never been involved and/or responsibile for the ownership, administration and dealings of Radju Marija and Radio Calypso,” he said.

“The Archbishop’s Curia’s position on the Radju Maria issue was limited to the Curia’s pronouncement that it did not object to this radio station’s efforts to obtain the necessary means to start broadcasting on a national level,” Mr Buttigieg added.

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