Joseph Chetcuti was to give the lecture, entitled ‘Ten Years on: The Pink Book, A Sin, Disorder or Crime and the birth of the gay movement in Malta’, on the 29th May at the Maltese Community Centre.  

The Pink Book was the first in the Maltese language on homosexuality. It garnered extensive media coverage on publication in 1997.  

In its ban, the MCCV, which runs the Centre, said it felt that the lecture had “no connection to literature” and was “all about the promotion of the Maltese gay movement”. On his part, Mr. Chetcuti, President of the Maltese Literature Group (MLG), said the MCCV made no attempt to discover the content of his lecture.

“They went much further,” he says, “They appear to be threatening to disaffiliate the MLG if the group goes ahead with the lecture at another location.”

MCCV president Victor Borg told the fortnightly publication he had no comment.

Mr. Chetcuti was informed the objections originated with the priests of the Missionary Society of St Paul, who share MCCV’s premises. He says the Society doesn’t want homosexuality discussed. Four years ago three members of the Society were charged in Malta with sexual abuse of boys in the society’s orphanages.

Mr. Chetcuti added that “Rather than providing real leadership… the MCCV has stereotyped all Maltese-Australians as bigoted, in an attempt to deny gay men and lesbians from having a real voice within our community.”

President of the Australian Gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer communities Multicultural Council (AGMC) Cinzia Ambrosio told  BNews Melbourne Star  “The AGMC believes that secular organisations who receive taxpayer money need to be reminded that they are just that – ‘secular’ organisations and should be separated from religion.”