Trick Or Treating? Rosianne Cutajar’s Halloween Stunt At Primary Schools Spurs Report To Children’s Commissioner
Arnold Cassola has asked the Commissioner for Children to comment on Rosianne Cutajar’s Halloween trip to primary schools to hand out sweets to children.
“Is it acceptable that a general election candidate to turn up outside primary schools handing out bags of sweets – branded in campaign stationery – to school children in the hope of collecting votes from their parents?” Cassola asked in his email to Pauline Miceli.
Cutajar, who is currently under the microscope following allegations concerning an intimate relationship with Daphne Caruana Galizia murder suspect Yorgen Fenech, uploaded a photo showing the goodie bags that were handed out to children this week.
She visited schools that fall within her electoral district.
“I wish I could have visited more schools over this week, however, I couldn’t due to the bad weather,” she wrote.
Under Maltese law, giving out free food, drinks or other items with the intention of influencing their electoral choices, or treating as it’s known, is illegal.
People found guilty of ‘treating’ are technically liable to a fine of up to €1,160 or imprisonment up to six months.
However, this law is not enforced at all, with a police spokesperson confirming with Lovin Malta that it hasn’t received a single report regarding treating in the past ten years. And it is not uncommon at all for politicians, even prominent ones, to resort to this tactic ahead of elections.
Cutajar has been accused of committing treating many times before. In June, Cutajar turned heads when she uploaded a number of images showing herself giving small bags of oranges to elderly residents in the Smartcare Dar Pinto home in Qormi, her hometown.
What do you think of the stunt?
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