Consultation on holding of elections

Stephen Farrugia

Nov 23rd 2009, 04:01

@ Casha

Could you be so kind as to explain, if the law should be observed for the last election? If not, why should the law not be observed and why should their be any reason to observe it in the future ?

Sliema

Ramon Casha

Nov 22nd 2009, 06:25

Party/campaign financing laws need to be adjusted. The sum of money permitted is too low. It needs to be revised from time to time, and in view of the type of election (General / EP elections being higher than local).

At the same time, there needs to be a strict enforcement of it: Any candidate whose expenses exceed the amount will be automatically disqualified. Any candidate who does not divulge the expenses in time will similarly be disqualified. Candidates (not agents) should be required to take an oath on their expenses and anyone lying under oath would be liable to imprisonment.

It is possible to improve vote counting by using electronic methods, but NOT the method used in the US which produced so many errors. Their method was to use ONLY electronic voting without a paper trail. I'm suggesting that voters could vote on a screen, which then prints a physical paper ballot which is machine-readable. It's more expensive but more foolproof, since in the event of any problems the votes can still be counted manually.

Finally, a permanent method needs to be identified to enable people to vote abroad, by casting their vote in embassies.

Stephen Farrugia ( Sliema)

Nov 21st 2009, 20:46

@ Everyone

You cannot ignore the fact that a very valid legal objection exists for the last election results, that has not been answered or tackled. It is useless discussing this issue because we have reached a point, were it is IMPOSSIBLE to move forward.
Who is just throwing proposals here, has little idea what is really going on. Any election cannot be valid, unless the last election is recounted or called again.
That is the only current situation, anything else is a distortion of reality.

Dr. John Zammit

Nov 21st 2009, 20:30

I suggest that Malta and Gozo will be as one district like the the European Parliament Election. The ballot paper will be devided in three: one for the Nationalist candidates, one for the Labour candidates and one for the other political parties and independent candidates. So with this we have three ballot papers and eliminate the problems of the thirteen districts which mostly bring discriminate results, like what happened in 1981 election and also the last election. I suggest also that on the ballot paper there will be the photo of all the candidates, like other countries do - Dr. John Zammit - leader Alleanza Liberali - www.freewebs.com/liberalalliance

J. Mifsud

Nov 21st 2009, 20:10

@ j. Abela

Please have another look at what I wrote. I never said that the prime minister chooses the ministers but by holding internal elections according to party statute. This may lead to the joining of technocrats in the cabinet.

The distribution of ministerial work is wrong and we definitely do not need more cabinet ministers.

It is farcical to have more ministers and an amount of 65 (and more) members of parliament.

Where in the world do you find a country so small as Malta, with a population of less than half a million with so many members of parliament? And to put the cherry on the icing(cake), we also have more than 67 local councils. Remember that our parliament is now only rubber stamping what comes out of Brussels.

Come on, let's us put an end to all this nonsense.

We need to enhance our way of thinking and acting.

Marcel Dingli

Nov 21st 2009, 18:16

@ Joseph MIfsud. As far as i know only those residing in Malta for a total of six months in the past one and half years are entitled to vote.

I Abela

Nov 21st 2009, 18:16

@ J Mifsud - Your suggestions actually reduce not enhance the democratic process and the parliamentary work. 1) The reason for having MP's is for citizens to have a person representing them in parliament. You may have that MP and i might have this MP. If, like you said, we vote for a party and then the party leader decides who shall be member or not, well.....i don't see much of a democracy here. 2) A smaller cabinet goes against all principles of productivity. Imagine having a large factory like ST with 75 employees, would that be fine with you because more employees would be a waste of shareholders' money? And don't applaud Gonzi too much for his decision to reduce cabinet. We have the largest sector contributing to our GDP (ie Tourism) without a dedicated minister. We have the health sector without a dedicated Minister. A dedicated minister would be overwhelmed with the task of running one ministry, let alone 2, 3 or 4 at the same time. How productive !!

Ronnie Pellegrini

Nov 21st 2009, 17:37

All those with a valid identity card shall vote in our elections and so we will have fair elections.

H. Weenink

Nov 21st 2009, 17:36

@ J. Mifsud:
May I just humbly suggest that we only vote for just one candidate, like it is done in most European countries; One 'man', One Vote! So NOT just for a political party, but for just one party candidate you like/respect and agree with. Then it is up to the party with the most votes to form a (Coalition) Government and select its ministers for the Cabinet from (within or outside?) its voted in parliamentary members. When do we 'grow-up' and shed these self-retained colonial habits like the 'Westminster' parliamental model?

joseph mifsud

Nov 21st 2009, 16:12

biex l-ellezjonijie f/malta ikunu fair ghall parttit li jikontestaw dawk li jkunu ilom jghixu barra ghall iktar min hames snin ma jkollomx dritt jivutaw ghax mhux sew jigu jivotaw u jergaw jitilqu barra minn malta

J. Mifsud

Nov 21st 2009, 15:00

I suggest that we only vote for a political party and not for party candidates. Then it is up to the party with the most number one votes to select its ministers and parliamentary members. This will eliminate once and for all political district rivalries and it will enhance the democratic process. The party elected to govern will then hold internal elections according to its statute.
I am also for a reduced cabinet of ministers, and for this I applaud Dr Gonzi, but it is comical for a country of 400,000 people to have a parliament which is composed of 65 members of parliament, or as happened more than once, even more. It is waste of the taxpayer's money.

I know that this will not go down well with most party candidates, but I am not writing this to please them, but for the good of the country. This will definitely give more power to the Prime Minister to choose some technocrats to govern the country.

We have had enough of mediocre politicians!!!!!

B. Pollacco

Nov 21st 2009, 14:13

@Paul Micallef

In these situations you have to MAINLY at the positive which saves time & money to distribute the votes(the ids) as well with the new ID cards it is possible to TRY and connect the ID cards with the electoral system(who has vote's or not)...but forging has happened and could be a risk if introducsed before the new IDs are out

Franco Debono M.P.

Nov 21st 2009, 13:59

A law on political party finance is urgently needed. We r very late. Only then can we be the architects of modern political party system in Malta

Paul Micallef

Nov 21st 2009, 13:28

The only way that there will be fair elections in this country is that people will use there I.D cards to vote.

Stephen Farrugia

Nov 21st 2009, 13:26

Still, the last MEP election was invalid and everyone is waiting for an announcement of another election. If the law is not followed for the last election, no other election will be recognized, even with the new rules.
We will have new election rules but for a federal state.

Stephen Farrugia

Rightwing/Sliema