News • 10 November 2002

Bin there, done that

By Matthew Vella

A Nationalist Party councillor and medical practitioner told MaltaToday that his venture into freemasonry had only gone just beyond the threshold of initiation.

The person was answering to questions posed by this newspaper on the appearance of his name on a masonic lodge’s agenda for a meeting that was held in January, 1990. His name is listed as a candidate for initiation, proposed and seconded by two other freemasons.

The PN councillor told MaltaToday his flirtation with freemasonry had been very short-lived.

"The people who proposed me for the initiation in the lodge were, and still are my friends. Back then I was still starting out in life. I was approached by these people and accepted to be initiated. But I resigned immediately from the lodge the minute I had been initiated.

"I accepted to be proposed and went through all the procedures and interviews. I then proceeded with the initiation. But after being initiated, when I attended my first meeting, I was put off by what I saw."

The councillor told MaltaToday he did not like the ‘scene’ and the people who were present at the lodge.

"I didn’t like what I saw. First of all, these meetings were on a Monday, and my profession as a doctor would not allow me to neglect my patients.

"I did not like the theatrics involved in being a freemason. There were many poems and rituals one had to learn by heart. I thought these were a waste of time. I had better things to do. And there were also the people who were involved in the lodge. I just didn’t like what I saw and told the two people who had proposed my candidature I was resigning.

"Looking back, having seen what I saw, I think that being a boy scout at the age of thirteen is fun, but I had no time for these sort of larks at that stage in my life."

At the time in question, the councillor was not involved in politics. He told MaltaToday he never got involved with freemasonry after his brief stint. Asked whether he had ever witnessed seeing any politicians at the masonic lodge, the councillor said he had not seen anyone of the sort.