While it is well and proper for the Ombudsman to pursue the relevant process available to him in regard to furthering complete and exact performance of his duties, including the filing of a judicial protest, I would also suggest that the stoutish behaviour (‘Ministry hindering quest for the truth’, June 14) does nothing to enhance the public’s perceptions of nor its ‘confidence’ in his institution.

Whatever the relative arguments respecting the constitutional and/or jurisdictional limits of its office, the Ombudsman is fundamentally an appendix to the ‘legislative’ part in the Westminster style of democracy, the ‘Executive’ and the ‘Judiciary’ being the other components forming an integrated entity which we call government, answerable to the people.

In similar forms of government, usually in jurisdictions of English background as Malta is, the role of the Ombudsman is uniquely respected by the citizenry by virtue of the totally apolitical and unassuming manner in which he oversees abuses of power.

Investigative details are kept at a discreet and respectful level until completion, after which he reports to the House of Representatives.

Thus, the reporting that “[Joseph] Said Pullicino lashed out at the ministry...”, if correct, when at the same time he seeks a judicial resolution to what seems to be a run-of-the-mill procedural step, reveals immaturity and lack of sophistication.

Worse still, this may be another instance of the usual inter-governmental poison-pen warfare and fractional reflex behaviour so common among this country’s echelons of power.

I would only need to highlight the Ombudsman’s current ‘proposals’ submitted to the government in a glittering booklet entitled On the strengthening of the Ombudsman Institution, in which he boldly argues for the most ambitious explosion of powers to be granted to an office of this type anywhere in the civilised world.

I understand the government is recovering from this shock and has muted its response. If so, it is a pity as this kind of nonsense must be the last thing this country could afford.