Political parties should not overshadow the discussions on the Constitutional reform but their role should be to ensure that the issues raised are debated, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said today.

He was speaking during a meeting with the committee to raise awareness on the Constitution.

It was important, the Prime Minister said, to discuss the substance of the Constitution and its relevance to society today.

The committee, chaired by lawyer Franco Debono, should not be afraid to question old laws and whether these had still stood, for example.

It should be a sounding board to listen and bring forward ideas, Dr Muscat said.

Dr Debono said the aim of the committee was to promote awareness. It was also working on a website and a child friendly version with the help of Maltese author Trevor Zahra.

We are living in a time of Constitutional reform,” making the committee’s role even more important, he said.