From Dr M. Asciak MD
Virtue ethics involve judging what a person does rather than who he is – his acts rather than his being. It is a going back to Aristotle’s theory of ethics where character and intellectual related virtues are encouraged in individuals that engender the right choices in individual decisions.
President Barack Obama, the first Afro-American President of the USA, has several historical firsts to his credit. He represents a new beginning for the people of the United States. I dislike deification (or diabolization) of people. Man has long since lost his right to this. All persons have good and bad in what they do and I would rather judge them on their actions rather than on their person. I admire his achievements as I equally admire the achievements of the man who went before him, having lived through very difficult times. I admire George W. Bush’s commitment to respect human life from conception. His executive orders limiting individual recourse to abortion and blocking federal funding of embryonic stem cell research is to be highly praised. His record in this respect is second to none and he should be commended for this position. His position on the treatment of prisoners in Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, is on the other hand not so commendable, resulting in several legal claims and counter claims blocking the very legal procedure that could bring the individuals involved to justice. This is to say nothing of the alleged reported torture.
Obama has done well in striving to close the Guantanamo Bay prison and trying to reform the way that the justice system works. He is not to be commended however for granting more people access to abortion or by signing into law the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA), which will increase the number of abortions by about 100,000 annually. This will lift all limitations on abortion. If this law is passed, all hospitals, including Catholic hospitals, will be required to perform abortions on request. This could prompt bishops to close down all Catholic hospitals that provide a service to more than 30 per cent of the population. Another effect of this law is the legalisation of partial birth abortions. Funding for all abortions has to be borne by all US taxpayers. Parental notification will no longer be required.
The second issue I would like to raise is the old opera site issue. I agree wholeheartedly that City Gate needs an overhaul, as it is the first thing that meets the eye when people, local or foreign, enter Valletta. I agree too that the opera house site needs to be developed, as it is an eyesore. This government has done well to decide on the issue, as this has festered for 60+ years. However, I would have chosen a different use for this site, not that of a Parliament. First of all, one does not find a Parliament at the periphery of a city, next to the gateway, but in an administrative centre, in our case close to The Palace.
Secondly, I can envision some sort of commercial and art centre on this site rather than a political one. A multi-functional hall and exhibition site to complement St James Cavalier is in order, similar to the Kennedy Centre for the performing arts in the US, but on a much smaller scale of course. We should not rebuild the opera house as it stood before, although part of the exterior may be maintained similar to what the Germans did with their Reichstag in Berlin. The original theatre itself was rather small as there was a large foyer and the acoustics inside were not that good. At least this is what my uncle, Paul Asciak, who sang there, says. We already have the Manoel Theatre and the MCC and I believe that we should not build a theatre to cater for operas, much as I love them. The demand for this is, to say the least, nowadays small and there are centres, which already cater for this type of entertainment. We should cater for a wider perspective of cultural fancy. While on the subject I ought to mention that in Malta we desperately need something like the Juilliard for the dancing and musical arts.
Parliament’s place is at the centre of the city. I believe it should occupy the Main Guard opposite The Palace itself. Again, the facade should be maintained but the interior completely renovated and restructured. The area at the back of the Main Guard in lower Strait Street should be extensively rehabilitated to accommodate the committee rooms and the personal rooms for the Ministers and Members of Parliament, plus other rooms for meeting the public and relaxation (no pun intended). This will provide government an excellent opportunity to resuscitate lower Strait Street, which is in dire need of such a move, and thus kills two birds with one stone.
The third issue is of avid public interest. It seems to be no secret and has been recently reported in local newspapers, that the government has the intention of legislating on certain issues regarding bioethics. It has recently asked for the opinion of the newly composed Bioethics Consultative Committee on the issue regarding IVF and biotechnology in general. This is a very positive development to which the BCC will respond to the best of its ability with the resources available, although it ought to be told that professional work of this nature takes some time to be finalised properly.
Michael Asciak