Equality Minister Helena Dalli yesterday seemed to have heeded to this newspaper’s editorial and asked the Speaker of the House to “discuss the action that needs to be taken” after the Education Commissioner within the Ombudsman’s office, Charles Caruana Carabez, wrote an article which was widely deemed to be discriminatory against women.
In yesterday’s editorial we said that Caruana Carabez’s role at the office of the Ombudsman has been compromised and that the government or the Ombudsman ought to remove him from the post, unless he resigns of his own accord. We also urged Helena Dalli to react.
It is positive to note that Minister Dalli has seen fit to raise the issue with Mr Speaker, but one cannot on the other hand see a blaring contrast with another recent case.
Minister Dalli did not utter a word a few days back when her cabinet colleague, Home Affairs Minister Michael Farrugia defended an Assistant Police Commissioner who resigned amid serious allegations of domestic abuse. Farrugia’s ministry caused a storm when it said that Tonna was a hardworking cop who worked long and stressful hours.
In 2015, when firebrand PL MP Joe Debono Grech had threatened PD MP Marlene Farrugia in Parliament – shouting at her that he would beat her up (the infamous: nigi ghalik u nifqak phrase), Minister Dalli had condemned the words uttered by both MPs but refused to equate Debono Grech’s verbal abuse with domestic violence.
But the case of Mario Tonna and his former partner, who has alleged that she was subjected to several cases of abuse – claims that have led to the resignation of the police officer – surely falls under domestic abuse. Yet the minister who a couple of months ago launched the Gender-based violence and Domestic violence strategy and action plan, has not thought it appropriate to speak about the former police officer’s behavior and the shameful statement issued by the ministry.
One must ask: why? Surely, the government minster tasked with promoting equality should condemn both cases. One hopes that there was a logical explanation but unfortunately it looks as if the equality ministry only remained silent in the latter case so as not to embarrass another government ministry.
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The European Court of Justice is expected to deliver its final ruling on bird trapping in Malta and it does not look good for trappers.
Yesterday, the Hunters' Federation (FKNK) said that trappers were "terrified" that trapping has come to end and the community wanted to be able to pass on the tradition to generations to come.
We believe that this is one of those traditions that should be consigned to the pages of history for trapping, like, hunting, is nothing but a cruel sport which sees thousands of birds killed locally every year, and for no reason.
We have just started 2018 and there are those amongst us who are terrified because they will not be able to teach their children how to trick vulnerable birds into getting stuck into nets, so that they can then be stuffed into little boxes and sold at some illegal market. Those birds that survive will likely live their short lives in some tiny metal cage, most likely under some smelly armpit or hung up on some wall.
The world is changing and we must change with it. Today we teach our children that wild animals do not belong in zoos and circuses, that dolphins do not belong in concrete pools, performing for our momentary pleasures. Likewise, birds should not be squeezed into tiny cages – they belong in the skies and in our countryside.
Malta should be proud, not sad and terrified, should this senseless and medieval tradition be banned once and for all.
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Right of Reply Minister Helena Dalli
"The editorial of the 11th of January demanded a logical explanation, regarding why Minister Dalli wrote to the Speaker regarding Mr Caruana Carabez's article in The Times, and then went on to make an illogical comparison about apples and oranges.
Here are the facts.
In the case of Assistant Police Commissioner Mario Tonna, the said officer resigned immediately and Minister Farrugia unequivocally condemned any form of domestic and gender-based violence while retracting the statement interpreted as justifying the officer's behavior.
In the case involving Members of Parliament Marlene Farrugia and Joe Debono Grech, both hurled insults at each other. As correctly noted, Minister Dalli had condemned the verbal abuse by both MPs. She however did not agree with MP Farrugia that this was a case of violence against women, simply because Mr Debono Grech is a man, while she is a woman. This was a case of verbal abuse against a woman and a man. In fact, the verbal attack had been going on for days with MP Farrugia calling Labour MPs all sorts of names. It would be a disservice to real victims of gender-based violence to equate this episode to a form of violence against women. Sadly, both gave as much as they got with MP Farrugia starting the tirade against Labour male and female MPs.
On the other hand, Mr Caruana Carabez's article involved 1950s stereotyping that targeted all women, which stereotyping usually leads to the acceptance of discrimination.
Dr Dalli condemns all instances of sexism, inequality and all forms of violence, and her work in these areas of policy are evidence of her commitment."