Reforms led to better quality of life - Mifsud Bonnici

Interior Minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici said that some 250 clauses had been amended in the last three years with respect to reforms introduced in procedures in executive and precautionary warrants, making for a better quality of life.

Moving the second reading of the bill to amend various laws (civil matters), Dr Mifsud Bonnici said that experience had shown that there was a great need for reform, which was made with great difficulties. He said that the message that the government conveyed through these reforms was that any debtor must pay his debts.

The reforms also affected procedures regarding immovable property.

He said that some 15,000 official letters had been registered under the new legal mechanism.

The minister noted that while old court cases were diminishing, new civil cases were increasing and this was an unexpected turn, he said. The government was earmarking that court cases should not take more than three years to decide.

There were a number of cases pending for a sentence and the government was giving the judiciary all the necessary tools to arrive at a conclusion without interfering in the Courts' independence.

Dr Mifsud Bonnici said that there was an increase in the number of decided cases in the Criminal Courts but in a particular case there was a long delay of three years first by the prosecution and then another three years on behalf of the defence and this was unacceptable.

The minister paid tribute to the Drug Squad for their sterling work in preventing drug trafficking. A number of drug addicts were also arraigned before the courts and efforts were made to rehabilitate such persons through swift and direct law enforcement. Efforts were being made to lessen bureaucracy.

He said that the most important amendment was that amending the warrant of seizure of movable property. The creditor would have an easier redress as the date of the sale by auction would be known as soon as the warrant is issued.

The minister said that seizure of any movable property might include shares in commercial partnerships, licences issued by competent authorities, insurance policies, credit securities and any intellectual or industrial property right. As regards rights of preference on the transfer of shares, shareholders would be informed of the date when the sale was due.

An insurance company would also be given notice of the date when a judicial sale by auction of an insurance policy would take place.Dr Mifsud Bonnici said 2,400 warrants of seizure were issued in 2007 increasing to 2,900 last year. Another 1,050 warrants of seizure were issued during the first four months of this year.

The overdraft facility has been protected and did not form part of a warrant of seizure. Creditors could freeze assets of any company without affecting its operations.

Intimation of interdiction or incapacitation would be published in the Government Gazette instead of the administration having to inform notaries by letter.