From Dr A. Borg Cardona

Following reports that Dr Mario Spiteri is no longer acting as one of government’s chief spokespersons on health education issues, as one of his principal opponents over the years, I want to wish him the best of luck for the future.

It was reported that one of the issues that may have contributed to the decision to replace Dr Spiteri may have been that he failed to consult on a wide-enough basis before the public smoking ban was introduced. I was one of the GRTU’s advisors in the discussion process with government at the time and I can say that there was more than sufficient consultation, at least from what I could see.

We eventually had to agree to disagree, as has to happen in a democracy, but any residual discontent at the way the smoking ban was introduced certainly should not be laid at Dr Spiteri’s door.

In fact, there was some resentment only because a certain impression had been given at the political level about the way the ban would impact on small operators and when the ban was eventually introduced, the impression given was found to have been just that, an impression, with the reality being entirely different. This was not the fault of any public servant involved in the discussions.

I hope that Dr Spiteri’s removal will not mean that our public duels over the years will come to an end: they were enjoyable always.

Andrew Borg Cardona