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James Debono
“Where does Minister Zammit Dimech stand?” asked the Malta Gay Rights Movement following MaltaToday’s story on the rejection of an application to hold a transsexuals beauty contest at the state-owned Mediterranean Conference Centre in Valletta.
Francis Zammit Dimech, Minister for Tourism and Culture, answers: “I feel that there are no grounds over which to interfere with the discretion exercised by the MCC in reaching the decision to reject an application to hold a beauty contest organised for transsexual people at the MCC.”
Zammit Dimech’s silence contrasts with the eloquent defence of transsexual rights by Labour MP Leo Brincat in the country’s highest institution.
Speaking in Parliament Brincat did not mince his words. Brincat described the decision of the MCC management to deny transsexuals permission to hold a beauty pageant as a clear violation of human rights.
“I think these people are right to feel they are being discriminated against… they pay their taxes just like anyone else and, being a public enterprise, the MCC should have allowed them to hold the pageant,” he said.
In the meantime Labour MP Evarist Bartolo has also presented a parliamentary question on this matter.
In a press release issued during the week the Malta Gay Rights Movement asked Francis Zammit Dimech whether he approves of the way MCC chairman Peter Fenech dealt with an application to hold a beauty contest for transsexual contestant. Contacted by MaltaToday last week Fenech insisted that he does not divulge any information on his clients to the press.
Yet it seems that the Malta Gay Rights Movement’s call for a ministerial explanation will remain answered.
jdebono@newsworksltd.com
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