Prime Minister, ‘Society must bow its head to the family’

Lawrence Gonzi claims referendum decision is “irreversible”.

11 May 2011, 12:00am
by Nestor Laiviera

2 min read

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi has acknowledged that families and societies are always changing but declared that “society should always bow its head to the family, not the family should adapt to society.”

He said this in a meeting with anti-divorce lobby Zwieg bla Divorzju at the Nationalist party headquarters, where the two sides exchanged views on the ongoing divorce campaign. Gonzi, whose party passed a resolution enshrining its opposition to divorce, warned the decision Malta was about to make would be “irreversible”.

“The decision we’re about to make is not reversible,” Gonzi said of the 28 May referendum, which will still have to be passed by parliamentary majority. “We should deeply question whether we want to remove the permanence of marriage in Malta.”

The prime minister said that the paramount position of the family in society was “a cardinal point of his leadership”.

Zwieg bla Divorzju chairperson Andre Camilleri lamented with Gonzi that the State should have done more to inform people on the impact of divorce with a proper study, and that the parliamentary debate on the referendum motion was too short.

Gonzi’s reaction was that he opposed Labour leader Joseph Muscat’s wish not to use government money in the debate, which was part of the referendum motion he presented in parliament.

The prime minister also said he agreed that children’s “interests” form part of the debate. “It’s not that they are not involved. Children are impacted directly by divorce.”

Gonzi denied a connection between the PN and Zwieg bla Divorzju when asked by MaltaToday over allegations by Nationalist MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando that the party granted the anti-divorce lobby free services and turned down ads by the pro-divorce lobby. "There's no connection, and no allegations. What worries me is the way the media appears to muffling people who are not in favour of divorce."

More from Nestor Laiviera

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how come then Mr PM, you have not instructed your most devoted and enlightened finance minister, to help out families by reducing taxes and boosting up the standard of living. How come Mr PM, poverty is on the increase, when society should bow its head to the families? You should steer away from all these philosophical statements, come done from that Olympus that you have made for yourself and those around you and take some action in the name of the Maltese family. An institution which is being over stretched and rocked around by your government.

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“society should always bow its head to the family, not the family should adapt to society.” Now I know why I never became prime minister. Clearly, you need to be deprived of mathematical abilities. Here goes: Society = X families + Y non-families X families + Y non-families must bow to X families Which means you get a lot of families bowing to themselves. How does one bow to oneself? But more importantly who are the unknown Y non-families and why does he divide society? Is that a good idea? Gonzi's statement implies that it is. WAKE UP PRIME MINISTER ~ THE CHURCH IS DIVIDING SOCIETY AND INCITING DISCRIMINATION. ON THAT BASIS ALONE IT IS ALREADY BREACHING EUROPEAN HUMAN RIGHTS LAW.

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I call on all nationalist voters, who are in favour of a divorce law, to remember that the PN leader lawrence Gonzi is doing all he can , to stop the divorce law, that is why he did not want to make the vote in parlament, cause he would have been defeated in parlament. Remember VOTE NO TO PN, VOTE to someone else, But NOT TO PN. I will remember this shame you are doing to our country, when all EU members have all the civil rights. Time passes , days passes and month s pass, soon the next election wil come, and I am 100% your words are the condemnation of your political party, I have guessed all the general election since 1987. Than withthe result, you will suffer your own doings for going against the civil rights. Remember there are hundreds of PN supporters that you made them against you, starting with your NO to divorce. Than you will see , when you see the Final result in the general election. Don't take all people are fools. remember when the MLP loose the GE in just under 2 years how many turned against him. You party defeat will be the worst one in maltese history , I am sure, And it will be all your fault, for now laugh , but than you will not, till than enjoy your heart of stone towards those people in need!

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The story of the weeping madonnas is an exercise in emotional blackmail. Sadly there are those who fall for this failing of integrity. Going by the reactions of these religious fanatics, you’d think the referendum is about kicking the church off the island. Nice idea, but that would also be unfair. If people desire to live in a time warp that’s their business but being told how to conduct my 21st century life by this medieval cult is way over the top. The church is doing itself a huge disservice interfering in civic affairs. The fact that it is not content to just interact with its followers smacks of deep suspicion. An institution so pure, so strong and so infallible cannot possibly crumble, can it? Nah

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All that crap that we were fed for the EU campaign, it was nothing but a masquerade for winning power. FenechAdamiPN and GonziPN have let the EU down, and us down in particular. So it was the Phillippines in the Mediterranean what we fought for; no societies are to be found on this planet except the Maltese society and the Phillippine ones! How low can we get? Long live the PN Liberal Party that changes its colours and hues more than the chameleon; liberal my foot!

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“We should deeply question whether we want to remove the permanence of marriage in Malta” Either he's a very confused person or he is a viscious viper which spews contorted statements to confuse the masses. Gonzi skip back on you soapbox dear, and tell them: "WE SHOULD DEEPLY CONSIDER WHETHER WE WANT TO REMOVE THE INTERFERENCE OF THE CHURCH IN MALTA". Over and out, Gonz.

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I still don't understand what all the fuss is about. This is just another money making scheme which will be taking money from the tax payer, to print bill boards, election staff etc etc etc!! I say legalise divorce and who wants to divorce, can and who doesn't, will not! Or am I missing something? How can someone impose what some one else does in his private life???

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"Society must bow its head to the family". What utter nonsense! Society is composed of families, so what Gonzi is saying here is that "society must bow its head to society", or "the family must bow its head to the family". Ridiculous. Of course, what he actually means is that "society must bow its head to the religious beliefs of Gonzi". At least he has spared us any mention of weeping madonnas.

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But perhaps, the Prime Minister would first tell us, what is the accepted definition of 'the family' in the European Union?

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How pathetic can the priminister be!!! If he really believes in supporting the family then he should show by example and donate his and other ministers unfair increase to the maltese families!!! Why not give needy maltese families with children better allowances!!! This goverment is on a crazy spending spree. If PL are elected in next election the state of the maltese economic situation will be a large disaster which will prove difficult to fix!!

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What a hypocrite! The Prime Minister wants to protect the family but gives Maltese families 1.16 Euros increase while he and his ministers get 500 Euros a week and 6 000 Euros of perks! Of course, he'll say that the referendum's result is irreversible so to influence those Nationalists who are going to vote in favour of divorce. Every time he speaks he betrays the political scope of the referendum. If people vote in favour they are basically disregarding him and his party! For more info on this type of hypocrisy log on: mazzun.wordpress.com

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X'ipokrzija. Li Gonzi vera jrid jghid huwa li """L-poplu jrid jisma BILFORS mill Knisja""" u niefqu hemm. Gabuna Tallaba ghal drittjitna. Gabuna Stat tal Knisja li jigi ddettat mill Isqfijiet!!!! Dan xi Gvern tal Qamel hu. Dan xi Gvern Tal Misthija!!!! Min qallilkhom li ahna irridu nghmlu parti min din il Knisja?????? Forsi xtaqna nibdlu ir religjon...Inthom min inthom sabiex twaqfuna???? Liberta--mill Knisja IPOKRITA---Liberta---min Gvern IPOKRITA!!!!!

Igor P. Shuvalov •

“We should deeply question whether we want to remove the permanence of marriage in Malta.” Does Dr Gonzi really believe that 'the permanence of marriage in Malta' depend on whether we have divorce or not? You could easily find an answer to this question if you just look around and read statistics about separations, co-habitation ( which you intend to regularise through legislation).

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“Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi declared that society should always bow its head to the family, not the family should adapt to society. -Yes…but thanks to your wrong political decisions and those of your ilk, the family had to bow its head to your arrogant style of governance to try and survive in an environment where every keeps rising except salaries!…why do you think more women are working? Why do you thinking marriages are breaking down? “The decision we’re about to make is not reversible,” - Not true…any decision is reversible…the consequences may not though! “Gonzi’s reaction was that he opposed Labour leader Joseph Muscat’s wish not to use government money in the debate, which was part of the referendum motion he presented in parliament.” -Miskin hu…kemm jiehu hsieb flusna dan! “The prime minister also said he agreed that children’s “interests” form part of the debate. “It’s not that they are not involved. Children are impacted directly by divorce.” -Yes…and they are impacted too by separations and co-habitation. They are also impacted because of the lack of services and personnel that your “humane” government offer to those partents with children whoneed professional services. Ask those who make use of the CDAU and SPS. Words are cheap Dr Gonzi! “Gonzi denied a connection between the PN and Zwieg bla Divorzju” -And pigs fly

Luke Camilleri •

And you bow your head to the plight of Maltese Families and the utility bills your cashier Tonio Fenech is sending out! These bills are breaking them! Come down from your high chair instead of looking down at us with that contented smile that one gets with a €500 a week payrise and truly put your ear to the ground and feel what we wage earners , who got a GROSS salary increase of €1.16 a week are truly feeling!

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Having done his utmost to stall the divorce debate let alone legislation, this is rather rich coming from the same prime minister who maintianed will push a co-habiation law through parlament later on this year.

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Children are even MORE impacted with the sight of their parents fighting each other on a regular basis.