Cana president, 'Are marriages going to last until you're a size 10?'

As expected, guests Anna Vella and Bernard Gauci from the Moviment Zwieg bla Divorzju, and Deborah Scehmbri and psychologist Charles Azzopardi from the Moviment Iva ghad-Divorzju, reiterated most of the arguments that punctuated the debate so far.

But Moviment Iva chairperson Deborah Schembri accused Anna Vella, the president of the Cana Movement, of ridiculing the debate when Vella said Zwieg bla Divorzju "believed in a lasting marriage, and not a state where people stay together until you are a size 10," she said, ostensibly addressing women.

MaltaToday reported the live recording at the PBS studios at 1:30pm.

Lawyer Bernard Gauci started off by claiming that the presentation of the divorce bill was “carried out in a hefty and uncalculated manner.”

“It is clear that it was done by emulation, without any studies of how divorce will impact on society. They did not wait for the census to see what the situation of the Maltese family is.”

Gauci said the pro-divorce lobby’s campaign was misleading: “The proposed bill has several defects and it is promoting a divorce without reason – giving the opportunity for someone to just up and leave for no reason at all.”   

He claimed that divorce will reduce marriages to a 'pretty package'. “Moreover, what guarantees do you have that your second marriage will work out?” Gauci said.

He added that divorce will attack “the model which is most close to my heart. It will ruin that marriage which is or could have been good.”

Reacting, psychologist Charles Azzopardi said the “lies are coming from the no camp”, adding that if family was so important, they should be investing money to protect it like they are investing money in their campaign.

Azzopardi said the Moviment Zwieg bla Divorzju was depicting divorce as something “wrong… Have they forgotten that annulment exists in Malta? Children get hurt just the same, if not even more by annulment. How can a child understand that his or her parents’ marriage never existed?”

He added that for the children, whether it’s separation, annulment or divorce, do not distinguish the heartbreak that results from breakdown: “the hurt is still there”.

Anna Vella, the president of the Church's Cana Movement, said divorce would change the mentality of the Maltese towards marriage. “Today we believe in a marriage which lasts forever.”

Vella claimed that “thousands” of persons contacted the movement and said that even though they are separated, they do not want to get divorced: “’Why are they imposing the divorce on us?, they ask."

She said that professionals have spoken about divorce as something “contagious”. Vella claimed that studies reveal that people whose siblings are divorced are encouraged to follow suit.

“Is this what we wish for Malta? Two mums and two dads for each child? And if a man is not able to stick to his commitment during the first marriage, what will change in the second marriage?” Vella asked.

Moviment Iva ghad-Divorzju chairperson Deborah Schembri said at times she wondered whether “we are living in the same country or not – as if divorce will replace marriage.”

Schembri reiterated that divorce is simply a legal state of fact which shouldn’t be denied to those who need it. Schembri said she prefers the so called 'divorcist mentality' rather than a 'separatist mentality':  “If a marriage has failed and all possible means have been exhausted to reconstruct that marriage, why should they be forced to cohabit if they want to live in an environment which is responsible and regulated by law?”

Schembri added that whilst Malta should look at studies conducted abroad, a study showing how divorce would affect Malta would not have given the true picture. She said it would have been misleading as different societies react differently, as it all depends on the culture.

Whilst Schembri reminded that divorce right now is already available to those who can afford it from abroad, Vella retorted that if divorce is introduced, it will still remain available only for those who can afford it. “How will the divorcee be able to pay two bills and two rents?” she said.

Gauci rebutted claims by Azzopardi that "he didn't care" about broken marriages saying the pro divorce lobby could not guarantee that people would have a second chance that will last.

He claimed that in all countries where divorce was introduced, cohabitation and domestic violence increase. He suggested that divorce is an easy getaway: “It’s like you’re a rusted fridge that is no longer of use."

He added that the bill does not guarantee maintenance: “In separation cases last year, 80 men preferred to go to prison rather than pay alimony.”

Schembri retorted saying that it was useless scaremongering about the disappearance of maintenance and alimony. "There are penalties for spouses who refuse to pay maintenance."

She said that with divorce or not, people are still leaving their husband or wife and cohabiting with another partner and also have children. “At least, we are looking our for the interest of all children” – to which Gauci commented “which children?”

A visibly irked Schembri said she could not understand how a lawyer who should keep the best interest of children at heart, suggested that some children take precedence over others. “This is entirely misleading,” she said.