K.B. Napier (TMID, 7 February) has painted a rather gloomy picture of the UK, which I am sure has raised a few eyebrows among both the Maltese and British readers of this newspaper. I have visited the UK on many occasions and I would certainly not describe the British as living “among nothing but immoral filth”.

I have many British friends and I think that, despite the fact the UK is a multi-cultural society with a population around 150 times that of Malta, the average Maltese person and the average British person have largely similar views on sexual morality.

The vast majority of people in both countries are not promiscuous or adulterous, but on the other hand they do not subscribe to the view that anything that is even remotely connected to sex is filthy or immoral. Despite all the differences in our individual personal backgrounds, beliefs, and opinions, many of us think that what happens between consenting adults is no one else’s business but their own.

Mr Napier then went on to warn us that “what begins as lap-dancing will simply grow into full sexual impropriety”. I am sure that this will not happen if these clubs are given proper guidelines, are professionally managed, and are adequately monitored like all places of entertainment should be. And it has to be said that many Maltese do not agree with the interpretation of the police force that a lap-dance is a criminal act, or that a woman can wear a bikini in front of children on a beach, but not in front of adults inside a nightclub.

John Ghigo

Tarxien