Alfred Sant was right when he said a few days ago that a solution to the problems raised by his party on the electoral process was overdue. The issue reached its climax last June 6 when the four members of the electoral commission nominated on Dr Sant`s recommendation resigned.
The problems are over the need for a mechanism to ensure that all those listed on the electoral register meet the residency requirements according to law. The issue arose following the liberalisation of the dual citizenship law and the discontinuation of embarkation cards for Maltese travelling abroad.
Talks between the two parties last year resulted in agreement on all but three points. The matter was then referred to the attorney general for the drafting of the legal amendments. He was also asked to propose compromise solutions on the outstanding points.
Dr Sant accused the government of showing no goodwill over the issue and he said he did not believe it was the attorney general`s blame that matters had got jammed.
Right as he was in calling for a solution, Dr Sant was unfair to accuse the government of not showing goodwill. He even said the government did not have the goodwill to ensure that the electoral commission was not made up of people "dominated" by the prime minister.
The reality is that, given its own track record, one would find it hard to believe that the government does not have the will to iron out any problems in the electoral process. It does seem that the MLP`s memory is short for how could it otherwise not remember the fact that the PN was itself the victim of a vitiated electoral system in 1981? Has it forgotten too how the commission used to be appointed in Labour`s time? Indeed, at one time, the commission was appointed less than a year before the 1987 elections.
The opposition leader has also forgotten, it seems, how the government had spearheaded the modernisation of the electoral process in a way that gave the parties total supervision over it. Has he forgotten how the government had proposed legislation to eliminate gerrymandering and the bill which would have changed the way constitutional bodies, including the electoral commission, were nominated?
It is of course only right and proper to ensure that no one is allowed to vote when he is not entitled to, and, equally so, that no one is unjustly disenfranchised. Given the rights the political parties now have to monitor every step of the electoral process and the data they have on every person in Malta, is that so difficult to achieve?
The MLP general secretary has revealed that the parties had agreed on a constitutional amendment on the qualification of voters so that Maltese working abroad would retain their right to vote. They also agreed on new procedures on the hearing of applications to the revising officer and verification of the electoral register. He said three points remained outstanding.
Is it not about time that the people are informed of what exactly is happening? Should not the proposed amendments be made public? The general elections should not continue to be regarded as the exclusive domain of the two parties.