PN deputy leader Mario de Marco this evening called for a debate on whether MPs should become full timers, something which, he admitted, he was not yet convinced of.

Addressing the first session of the PN general council, he called for courage to solve the matter of remuneration paid to MPs and ministers saying this was not enough to attract talented people to politics.

Dr de Marco criticised the government for appointing backbenchers to executive roles in various public authorities as a way of increasing their income. This, he said, was wrong.

Dr de Marco hit out at the Labour Party’s broken promises saying meritocracy was replaced with “Muscatocracy”.

He noted that the Home Affairs Ministry was still refusing to publish the results of two inquiries.

On the shooting incident involving the minister’s driver, he insisted Dr Mallia had to shoulder responsibility for the mistakes and resign.

“It is unacceptable for the minister to issue a statement full of lies on the night of the incident and then hold a press conference on the morrow to defend his driver.

“Even if we give him the benefit of the doubt and accept that he had no communication with his staff and the mistakes were committed by them, the ultimate responsibility is his... the buck stops with him,” Dr de Marco said.

He mentioned the case of Equal Opportunities Minister Helena Dalli’s illegal house works and said that those within the inner circle could do as they please.