In his article Time to Wake up (TMIS, 31 August) Dr Michael Asciak refers to an opinion piece I wrote that was published in The Times of Malta (The right man for the job, 18 August) and the learned doctor poses a series of questions that deserve answers.

He asks whether I think the PN will become a stronger party by emarginating the “conservative elements”. My answer is a clear “No, never”, and nowhere did I suggest that the PN should ‘emarginate’ the conservative elements within it.

Dr Asciak asks whether I think the PN should stop disposing of people past their ‘use-by date’ and aim at a consensus of those valid and interested human beings wishing to contribute to political action and thought. My answer is ‘Yes’ – ‘disposing’ of people is never an option: the PN needs all hands on deck to help it regenerate itself further and become, once again, the people’s party.

He asks whether I believe in consensus-building and allowing for conscientious objection. Of course I do, and whilst the new PN leadership is doing its best to have a wider and deeper dialogue within the party, which helps with consensus building, much more needs to be done in this area. Conscientious objection too should be encouraged, as long as objection does not result in restricting the rights and liberties of people, not least minorities.

Dr Asciak asks whether I believe that gender (as was slavery) is only a social construct. No, I don’t.

The former Nationalist MP refers to a recent decision by the European Court of Human Rights stating that ‘civil union was good enough for homosexuals and that same-sex marriage is not a human right’. True, same-sex marriage is not considered, by law, to be a human right, but that is not a good enough reason why I should be against same-sex marriage. I strongly believe that equal marriage is an important part of ensuring equality before the law. Dr Asciak asks whether I believe that this issue alone will ever win us (the PN) an election. No, alone it won’t, but most certainly the PN cannot afford to ignore the changes that have happened and continue to happen in our society.

Frank Psaila

Birzebbuga