New Act will be a blow for freedom (1)

It is heartening to read the much-awaited Interest Disclosure Act (more popularly known as Whistleblower Act) will be enacted by the end of this year. Recent events have shown the tribulations faced by honest citizens when they attempt to expose corruption in this country. More often than not it is the whistle blower who is chastised by the investigating bodies - while the wrongdoer is encouraged in his endeavours.

We have to change this.

We are signatories to the Council of Europe's Convention against Corruption defined as "requesting, offering, giving or accepting, directly or indirectly, a bribe or any other undue advantage or prospect thereof, which distorts the proper performance of any duty or behaviour required of the recipient of the bribe, the undue advantage or the prospect thereof".

Malta became a signatory to the Convention on Corruption (Strasbourg, 4.XI.1999) in January 2002.

We have been reprimanded by the EU for having a "weak anti corruption programme and that so far there have been few developments in the fight against corruption".

This too must change.

This Whistleblower Act should protect any individual who, acting in good faith, discloses any evidence of corruption not only as defined by the Council of Europe but it should also protect also those who expose other matters which are eroding our society - such as tax evasion.

Lawrence Gonzi, by introducing the Whistleblower Act, will be showing his commitment to those who wish to fight corruption.

Meanwhile, the Leader of the Opposition Joseph Muscat should play his part - by ensuring that he stops using corruption as a political football.