When the President of the Republic reading from a script prepared for him (Parliament`s Opening on Saturday - 10.05.08) referred to the reality of couples cohabiting in our country, the scriptwriter [ Ghost writers ] deliberately omitted one fundamental factual reality, namely that in Malta we have Coercive Cohabitation.

Thousands of couples are literally forced to cohabit because hypocritical and unscrupulous individuals in their capacity as the people`s representatives keep refusing to legalize Divorce procedures for the citizens and permanent domiciled residents in our Republic.

The State has absolutely NO RIGHT to interfere in the personal moral convictions of its citizens and permanent residents residing within its confines : in Malta`s situation this is even more strengthened by our own Constitution which remains our Supreme Law, as well as by the European Convention protecting INDIVIDUALS` fundamental human rights & freedoms which since October 1987 became also an integral part of our Laws and our Legal System.

Add to this the fact that Malta since April 2004 has been a full Member of the European Union which signifies that our Citizens are equally EU Citizens unless the latter reference is interpreted only to imply pushing forward the privileged interests of the ruling bourgeoisie, as apparently is occurring in my country`s case.

The Members of Parliament are the People`s representatives not their respective Political Party`s representatives, neither solely their constituents` representatives as one columnist stupidly remarked recently.Hence more so cannot our MPs go against the introduction of Divorce here in Malta,once our country recognizes foreign Divorce Decrees.

Failing this, many couples whose Marriage has all fallen apart but in nomenclature [typical of our national hypocrisy !], resort to cohabitation which is an unrecognized institution in our legal system hitherto. This Government is apparently now attempting to commence the process of legally giving some structure to this widely-spread way of life in Malta. Cohabitation is already accepted in practice in instances that benefit the Government of the Day as in Cases of Social Assistance & Taxation.

Hence it has been the Party in Power that has brought about this disaster in Family Life in our country by (for reasons well known ) refusing to introduce local Divorce even though many of its adherents are precisely in that state of life including Members of Parliament!

Legally-recognizing Cohabitation would not mean a step nearer in the lengthy endeavour towards introducing local Divorce, as some are interpreting the move following the GonziPN unpalatable 49.3% of the Electorate`s votes in March`s General Elections. Maybe the PN are planning for when possibly Dr Simon Busuttil might become their Leader vis-a`-vis MLP`s Joseph Muscat.... but that`s in the MAY-BEs! The thousands currently cohabiting want an immediate solution to their limboesque state of life, implying neither here nor there which transmutes into degrading these persons` way of life adopted because they were coerced into choosing it : hence Coercive Cohabitation!

It is the obligation of the House of Representatives to legislate in the interests of all individuals in our country, irrespective of whether they are in the majority or minority. After all, we have a Minority Government in Office !

Emmy Bezzina
Leader - Alpha Liberal Democratic Party