The obtainment of new civil rights is no easy task.  History shows us that such milestones are achieved either following grassroots campaigning or activism or following decisions that are taken with a great deal of courage by the people in charge of the country or both factors working concurrently.

Decisions concerning new civil rights are certainly not taken for popularity’s sake, as they usually touch a select group or minorities in a particular country.  They are rather taken because the Government taking them believes that it is the right thing to do so that the people positively affected by the decision would enjoy a better standard of living.

It is with all this as a context that I took serious objection to what Bernard Grech had to say about whether a new PN Government would keep the new cannabis legislation or otherwise.

I would like to remind you that less than two months ago we approved a massively important law in Parliament, which came into force on December 18 last year, which aims to reform the legislation with regards to personal use of cannabis.

Thanks to this reform, adults who make personal use of cannabis are no longer considered to be criminals or violators of the law, while a framework has been drawn up for the safe and regular use of cannabis for personal use under the control of a new Authority.  At the same time provisions have been introduced for the protection of minors and vulnerable people.

Bernard Grech, if elected Prime Minister, will overthrow and dismantle this law. Full stop, fresh line.

When asked a few days ago by lovinmalta.com if he is willing to uphold the law in the event of becoming Prime Minister, Bernard Grech linked the new law to - I am quoting – “damage that needs to be acknowledged and addressed.”

He justified this position by saying that the Nationalist Party must be firm in its beliefs and - I will quote - "because this is something that will surely do harm."

So it is clear that Bernard Grech, if he is elected to the office of Prime Minister, will dismantle what he, after all, strongly considers to be something that will surely do harm.  In other words, the important, robust reforms that we have made with this law would be overturned and the clock would be turned back.

And in case you had any doubts, Bernard Grech stressed that dismantling the law is in line with what the Opposition had said in Parliament. And we remember what the Opposition said in Parliament waves after waves of total opposition against this reform.

What is more intriguing is that according to Bernard Grech, this position against the reform is not just an opinion but a belief.  In other words, the Nationalist Party does not only carry an opinion or a position but has a belief against this reform and it believes that this reform is harmful.

Therefore, it is only logical to conclude that a new PN Government would radically change what it believes is harmful and wrong and would essentially throw everything we have achieved together out of the window.

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Interestingly enough, Bernard Grech has changed his views about cannabis reform not less than eight times – nine if one had to include the last statement given to lovinmalta.

For the sake of the skeptics amongst you, allow me to list them here.

1) On February 18, 2021, Bernard Grech said on twitter: “We are in favour of further decriminalizing possession of cannabis for responsible personal use - consistent with our position in 2015. Law must also address social impact and provide safeguards against abuse.”

2) Then when the white paper was released on March 30, 2021, Bernard Grech did not submit any proposals and therefore chose to sit on the fence.

3) On August 28, 2021, Bernard Grech changed his position again and a spokesperson of his told lovinmalta:

 “Bernard Grech believes that cannabis reform should first and foremost tackle how cannabis can be purchased. Otherwise, the relaxation of laws will simply strengthen the black market and still benefit organized crime.”

4) On October 6, 2021, when we announced the details of the legislative framework, Bernard Grech took to social media to claim that we had copied his position (!!!!) and said:

 "Today, the Government has amended its proposal to bring it in line with what I had proposed, through the introduction of membership associations.

This is another case of how the Opposition is bringing about change. "

5) This position lasted only a few days, because on November 12, 2021 the Nationalist Party came out in full force against the law and said that what we were supposed to have copied from Bernard Grech was “a vote-winning ruse” and will lead to “a prevalent culture of drug abuse”.

6) During the parliamentary debate, Bernard Grech chose not to speak, and the Opposition, while speaking out against it, decided not to table a single amendment at committee stage.

7) On November 20, 2021, Bernard Grech said that the reform is an alienation from the real challenges that Malta is facing and that it will normalize drug use.  He was quoted by the media as follows: "Opposition leader Bernard Grech has once again accused the Labour administration of using a Bill to legalize recreational cannabis and home-growing as an "alienation" from serious matters affecting Malta like the FATF greylisting."

8) On December 14, Bernard Grech refused to say whether a new Nationalist government would repeal the cannabis law and said he would have to have the data first at hand and then analyse the situation.

9) Finally Bernard Grech said, in other words, that if elected to the office of Prime Minister he would dismantle and bring down the new cannabis law for the reasons I explained before.    

It is therefore clear that the Nationalist Party will take us all back to the past.  It is only the Labour Party that can take us forward.

The Labour Government believes in the good that this law will bring about and we will make sure that all the necessary resources are given to the Authority on the Responsible Use of Cannabis to carry out what is expected of it by the law.

This is one of the main real differences between the two parties. It is crystal clear.