After this week's developments on the home front, I don't think anyone can accuse us of being facetious if we ask a simple question. In the words of President Emeritus Guido De Marco, the main responsibility of the President of Malta is to 'try and keep the Maltese people together' and to 'be united behind the Maltese flag and give the people a sense of belonging'.
In terms of unity, identity, 'a sense of belonging' and consensus one must ask whether Archbishop Paul Cremona would be a more appropriate holder of that post than the current incumbent Eddie Fenech Adami. This becomes more glaring when you consider that one can argue that Pawlu is essentially Eddie without the divisive past (and a more contagious smile).
These are questions which go to the heart of the Maltese nation. Failing to come to terms with this situation leads to the muddled and confused opinions bandied about on issues like divorce. Malta is neither a 'country stuck in the Middle Ages', as some have suggested, nor is it 'a modern democracy which respects the demarcation between Church and State'. It is a nation whose predominant centre of gravity is its religion, as opposed to its culture, language or historical baggage. People like Ms Krista Henderson who write angry letters to the editor of The Times to accuse politicians of 'living on another planet' should look no further than their newspaper of choice to get a fair idea of just the sort of planet they inhabit.
