Il-Konferenza Pubblika organizzata mill-fondazzjoni Mid-Dlam Ghad-Dawl fis-6 ta’ Mejju, bl-isem Tfal Gustizzja’ Kriminalita’ kienet success kemm mil-lat ta’ attendenza kif ukoll mil-lat ta’ partecipazzjoni. Dis-sena l-konferenza kienet iccentrata fuq it-tema tar-relazzjonijiet bejn il-prigunieri u t-tfal taghhom u kif sentenza ta’ habs tolqot mhux biss lill-prigunier izda anke lil dawk ta’ madwaru b’mod specjali t-tfal tieghu. F’dinil-konferenza Dr.Marilyn Clark tkellmet fuq il-fatturi li jwasslu biex tfal u minuri jkunu f’riskju akbar ta’ kriminalita’ u anke fuq metodi ta’ prevenzjoni. Dr. Ruth Farrugia tkellemet aktar fuq ir-relazzjonijiet bejn il-prigunieri u t-tfal taghhom u x’ligijiet hemm b’mod specjali fl-Ewropa li jiddefendu d-drittijiet tat-tfal. Dr. Anna Maria Vella gabet numru ta’ ezempji biex turi li t-tfal kwazi dejjem jispiccaw vittmi meta genitur jew il-genituri taghhom jispiccaw il-habs. Il-Kummissarju tat-tfal, Ms. Helen D’Amato li kienet ukoll prezenti ghall-konferenza ghalqet billi accennat mill-gdid fuq l-importanza li jkollna sistemi fejn it-tfal ma jkunux vittmi f’cirku vizzjuz li jmur anke generazzjonijiet ‘il boghod.

Il-Fondazzjoni Mid-Dlam Ghad-Dawl prezentat ukoll studju li sar ma’ 78 prigunier (nisa u rgiel) li huma lkoll genituri. F’dan l-istudju li hu wiehed uniku ghall-gzejjer Maltin, Dr. Nicholas Valenzia, segretarju tal-Fondazzjoni wera kemm il-kuntatt tal-prigunieri u t-tfal taghhom b’mod specjali fil-habs ta’ Kordin hu nieqes kif ukoll ghajnuniet bhal counselling u anke postijiet attrezzati biex isir hin ta’ kommunikazzjoni u relazzjoni bejn il-prigunieri u t-tfal taghhom hu nieqes ghal kollox. Il-fondazzjoni Mid-Dlam Ghad-Dawl, temm jghid Dr. Valenzia temmen li t-tfal mhux biss m’ghandhomx ikunu vittmi imma ghandhom ikunu strumentali fir-riabilitazzjoni tal-prigunieri.

April 10, 2008
Public Conference
on the theme
‘Ex-Prisoners: Branded for ever!?’
St. James Cavalier, Valletta, Malta

What real prospects do prisoners face after leaving the prisons? This is something so many talk about but very few work upon. The future of most ex-prisoners is blight. The conference, organised on the occasion of MDD’s 13th anniversary of its establishment, was addressed by various experts in the field, including Prison Director Sandro Gatt, Rehabilitative Centre Head Charles Miceli, ETC Advisor Antoinette Camilleri, Shelter Coordinator Charles Mifsud, Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera, Ex-Prisoners Care Worker Matthew Agius, and the Minister for Social Policy John Dalli. During the conference MDD launched the results of a research study made with prison inmates in January 2008 on their future hopes and prospectives. The conference was very well attended, and also attracted good press coverage.

February 4 , 2005
Conference
on the theme
‘Victims of Crime: Towards a better future’
Robert Samut Hall, Floriana, Malta

This conference was addressed by some of the local heavy-weights in criminal justice, such as Dr Vincent Chief Justice De Gaetano, President Emeritus, Prof. Guido Demarco, and others. The participation of the publice was good, and media coverage was extensive. The other speakers were Dr Anton Felice (Director of the Malta Insurance Association), Dr David Zammit (Association for Human Rights), Dr Edward Saliba (specialist on victims’ rights), Dr Jacqueline Azzopardi (Institute for Forensic Studies of the University of Malta), and Dr Mark Montebello (Victim Support Malta). The conference was chaired by Ivan Cauchi, Coordintor of Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl, and introduced by Rachel Agius, Coordinator of Victim Support Malta. George Busuttil, secretary of Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl, was secretary to the conference. The occasion was a follow-up of the national seminar organised in November 2004 (see above). It dealt with the position of victims of crime within the criminal justice system. The conference was sponsored by CasanMamo Insurance.

November 2, 2001
Meeting on Home Leave
St James Chavalier, Valletta

“Home Leave” was a proposal Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl made to the government for regular familial visits of prisoners to their families. The public meeting concentrated on this proposal.

For active participation at the meeting, Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl had invited the Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Tonio Borg; the prison Director, Emmanuel Cassar; and the Shadow Minister for Home Affairs, Dr Gavin Gulia. However, to our great disappointment, not anyone of them appeared for the occasion. The meeting was unfortunately also poorly attended by the public.

Those who attended and participated actively were Gillian Bartolo, a journalist of The Malta Independent on Sunday; and Mario Mallia, the Vice-President of Malta’s thirt party, Alternattiva Demokratika. Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl was represented by Ivan Cauchi, the then Director of the organisation.

Though the public attended poorly, the members of the press were numerous. These subsequently gave a most satisfactory report of the occasion.

The discussion was very lively, with active participation from the floor, and from various local groups, both private and governmental.

October 20, 2000
Meeting with H.E. Prof. Guido de Marco
President of the Republic
Metropole Hotel, Sliema

This meeting was somewhat disappointing. Unfortunately, though thoroughly prepared and organised, H.E. the President of the Republic was late in coming to the venue and early in leaving. Incidentally, the President left rather apruptly due to the fact that he strongly objected to some comments made by Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl and from the floor.

The theme discussed was Are the Priosners Human too? H.G. the Bishop of Gozo,Mons. Nicholas Cauchi, attended and addressed the meeting together with the President of the Republic. Public attendence, amongst whom numerous families of prisoners, was extremely good.

In its address, Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl highlighted aspects from the administration of justice at the local courts, the work leave and family leave proposals for prisoners, and the problems of prisoners’ families. The speech was prepared by Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl together with the prisoners during their weekly meetings in the prisons.

Unfortunately, however, the President objected strongly for doubts expressed in relation to the clean administration of justice, where it was said that money talk more than lawyers. Explaining that he had to leave early, the President abruptly walked out of the hall to the great astonishment, and disappointment, of all those present.

It must be said that, a couple of years later, when a magistrate and the Chief Justice himself were accused of corruption, Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl was proved absolutely right in its comments that day. This did not go unnoticed by the President of the Republic himself.