Editorial

President George Abela's first Republic Day speech was particularly interesting for two reasons: for the interesting outline he gave of the "main obligations" of the President and for his call for a reconsideration of a proposal, first made by a House Select Committee more than 10 years ago, for the setting up of a Council of State.

Dr Abela remarked that keeping aloof from party politics did not mean that the President had no views of a political, social or religious nature, which, "where he considers it in the interest of the common good, he may express, according to prevailing circumstances, either privately to political and executive authorities and institutions, or publicly, employing discretion and prudence and maintaining political impartiality without entering into controversy".

In other words, Dr Abela has no intention of being just a figurehead. In fact, he goes on to explain that, as representative of the state and the nation, and with his powers limited by the Constitution and constitutional conventions, the President "possesses no effective coercive powers, or the power to impose, but he enjoys moral authority".

Without in any way casting any bad reflection on any of the former Presidents, who have all, in varying degrees, done their duty to the country, Dr Abela has already won the people's admiration for his commitment to his work. The way he has explained his duties indicates he is dead set to play an effective role in the island's community as he has in fact already done since he took up the post in April.

The proposal he made for the reconsideration of the idea for the setting up of a Council of State is timely and should be acted upon as it could help tap the experience of the country's "elders". The Council of State, as it is being proposed, would include the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and former Presidents whose experience would guarantee a solid contribution to what Dr Abela called "the common good of Maltese society".

The President sees the proposed Council of State as a consultative institution that could be "of assistance in the discussion of various matters that arise from time to time". In other words, the Council of State would not be a revising Chamber. Malta has not had a second Chamber for many years and the advisability, or otherwise, of having one is another subject altogether.

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi was perfectly correct in registering agreement with Dr Abela's proposal for the political forces in the country to reconsider the setting up a Council of State, as did the Leader of the Opposition. However, Dr Gonzi added the rider that the setting up of such a council required in-depth discussions before it could possibly be taken on board by Parliament.

Defining "various matters" may present problems in such a keen and parochial political climate as that we have in Malta and even the council's consultative nature would have to be well thrashed out and agreed upon. How consultative is consultative? Would its advice be tendered privately? These issues, and other matters of national interest, may have been the reasons for putting the proposal on the backburner. For the proposal to be acted upon, it would first have to be considered in a serene climate and there would naturally have to be complete willingness on the political parties to move ahead. It is not unusual for valid proposals to fall by the wayside.