The article titled ‘A government that listens… but bans certain questions’ (June 23) is based on a fabricated story which was penned despite a clear and immediate denial by the Office of the Prime Minister. Coincidentally, this story was turned into a press release by the Opposition and a blog on the website of Daphne Caruana Galizia.
The truth is that no OPM official has called or approached anyone in order to avoid questions from being asked.
The 9,000 participants, who during these two years have attended one of the 45 public meetings of Gvern li Jisma’, can attest that this is a transparent consultation process where different opinions are voiced, including those in contrast to government decisions, and answered to by the members of Cabinet.
The freephone booking system is managed by the Department of Information and is intended to confirm the number of people who will be attending the public consultation meetings for obvious logistical purposes.
DOI staff also ask the participants whether they intend to make an intervention due to time-management reasons and to make sure that queries are directed to the right ministry.
The article alleged that OPM officials did not allow issues about Mepa and the Land Department to be raised during the public meeting of Parliamentary Secretary Michael Falzon. This is completely untrue and baseless.
All the reporter of the Times of Malta had to do was to listen well because these issues were, in fact, mentioned by the members of the public attending this consultation meeting which, among others, also included members of the Jesuit Service who criticised the proposal of a shooting range in Busbesija.
Other public consultation meetings also included different opinions to government policies. Rightly so, the local media, including Times of Malta, were efficient in reporting these points of criticism. This is very different to the ban on certain questions as was incorrectly reported despite a direct denial.
Gvern li Jisma’, which in the article is referred to as a “big joke”, is, in reality, an open public consultation exercise, happening every six months as committed in the government’s electoral manifesto, which gives the opportunity to all families and business people to come forward and present their ideas, suggestions and proposals to a government that listens.
Editor’s note: The sources quoted in the story insist that the information they provided to the newspaper is correct.