The ministerial portfolios of Malta’s new Cabinet members have prompted cautious optimism tempered by a good dose of head-scratching.
While some commentators welcomed the introduction of ministers for civil rights and climate change, others wondered whether the Malta Resources Authority had come one step closer to irrelevance.
Concerns about the MRA’s long-term future stem from the fact that it now forms part of the same ministry as Enemalta and Water Services Corporation – two entities it is meant to regulate.
Keeping regulatory authorities such as the MRA separate from operators such as Enemalta is considered good practice as it minimises risk of interference in its decision-making.
“It’s not in any government’s interest to have a strong regulator, because a strong regulator is a thorn in the government’s side,” said hydrologist Marco Cremona.
“Ensuring regulators are separate from operators should ensure some degree of protection. But to be honest, it didn’t work in the past because the MRA was too weak to impose itself.”
The MRA’s new home within the Energy Ministry might well help it communicate better with operators, he added, but “unless the MRA is strengthened and made independent, it might as well pack its things up and shut down – though that won’t happen because having a regulator is an EU requirement”.
Engineer Arthur Ciantar echoed those words. “Ideally, regulatory authorities like the MRA should be completely independent of any political influence. Perhaps that will be discussed in the Constitutional Assembly that’s been promised. But let’s face it, the MRA was toothless before anyway.”
Mr Cremona was also puzzled by the decision to include sustainable development as part of Environment Minister Leo Brincat’s portfolio. “It is, by its very definition, an overriding structure that touches upon economic, social and planning issues. It would have made much more sense to make it part of the Prime Minister’s remit,” he said.
Environmental journalist Anne Zammit was happy to see climate change given its due importance but pointed out that water policy would need to be closely integrated with climate change policy.
One area in which the Government appears to have done just that is Justice and Home Affairs, with the former subsumed into a mega-ministry led by Manuel Mallia, which also includes national security, broadcasting and the Armed Forces.
It was barely a year ago that talk of splitting the two portfolios dominated the political agenda, with the Labour Party pushing for such a split.
Questions sent to the Government about this sudden change of heart remained unanswered, but according to legal professor Kevin Aquilina, the new arrangement represents a happy compromise.
“Legally speaking, it makes little difference whether or not they’re split. Having a parliamentary secretary responsible solely for justice means the two will be, to a greater or lesser extent, distinct.”
Onetime MP Franco Debono, who last year led the charge for a split between justice and home affairs, was similarly circumspect. “In an ideal world, justice and home affairs would be completely split. But having a parliamentary secretary directly responsible for justice ensures some oversight.”
But former minister and lawyer Mario de Marco remained unimpressed by this U-turn, saying it jarred with what happened just a few months ago, when Labour pressed hard in Parliament to have Home Affairs and Justice placed under separate ministries.
In a Facebook post, he said it was “amply clear that their position then was motivated solely by political opportunism, and nothing else”.
Human rights lawyer Neil Falzon was glad to see a minister – Helena Dalli – dedicated to civil rights, and hoped her portfolio would eventually be broadened to include migration.
“I understand why irregular migration is a home affairs issue, but why should an Indian or American moving here fall under the heading ‘national security’?” he asked.
Culture buffs told The Times it was still too early to pass judgement on the fact the sector now falls under a parliamentary secretary. Theatre director Adrian Buckle admitted he had expected Owen Bonnici (now Justice parliamentary secretary) to be appointed to the role.
“But I look forward to working with José Herrera. I heard he’s a very efficient person. Of course I would rather culture was given its own ministry, but let’s not forget Mario de Marco started off as parliamentary secretary, too,” he said.
Creative economy adviser Toni Attard was equally unconcerned by culture’s Cabinet ‘demotion’. “A doer will get things done,” he said.
“There’s much less fragmentation than in the previous set-up. That’s very good. It’s also positive to see the national library and archives placed under culture, though I’m not sure why public libraries are still part of the Education Ministry.”
And amidst all the talk of home affairs, the environment and culture, one prominent scholar, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, spared a thought for Foreign Minister George Vella, whose ministry has been divested of any EU-related affairs.
“The 2017 EU presidency will require so many resources that having an EU Ministry makes sense,” they said. “But Maltese foreign affairs are almost completely EU-driven now. What is George Vella going to do?”