MPs will not vote electronically when they are asked to approve the Budget because they are still in ‘training’ mode, the Times of Malta has learnt.
The decision was taken by the House Business Committee last week when mapping out Parliament’s agenda. Parliament sits again today after the summer recess.
Electronic voting was introduced when the new parliament building was inaugurated last May but it is felt that MPs have not yet fully embraced the system. In fact, MPs have been familiarising themselves with the electronic voting mechanism while still voting in the traditional manner.
The parallel system was being used to ensure that votes cast electronically tallied with declared votes. Sources told the Times of Malta that progress was being registered in that the voting results were “increasingly” tallying. The new system has the added benefit of addressing a lapsus scenario, when an MP says yes when he or she means no. It allows the MP to correct the vote until the Speaker declares the voting process over, something that cannot be done under the traditional method.
However, MPs have opted not to take any risks during the Budget vote – one of the more crucial parliamentary votes because it is considered a vote of confidence in the government – and therefore agreed not to use the electronic voting system throughout the various stages. The Budget will be presented next Monday.
MPs have opted not to take any risks during the Budget vote and agreed not to use the electronic voting system
With Parliament having its own TV channel, MPs sitting on the House Business Committee are questioning whether the national broadcaster should continue to broadcast the Budget Speech and the interventions by the Prime Minister and the leader of the Opposition live.
However, since the parliamentary channel is currently only available on cable – it will soon have free-to-air capacity, making it available to those without cable service – MPs decided to go for the traditional arrangement, allowing PBS cameras into the Chamber.
Parliament held its last sitting on July 20 before breaking off for the summer recess. Still, it did not close its doors. Besides the Renzo Piano Building Workshop’s exhibition running throughout summer, some parliamentary business continued and Parliament also hosted a number of activities.
Six committee meetings were held, including those dealing with foreign and European affairs, economic and financial affairs and House business.
September was a rather busy month. Parliament hosted a debate, organised by the Malta Model United Nations Society, on the smuggling of persons at sea and the Mediterranean Syrian refugee crisis, simulating the Legal and UNHCR committees.
The Youth Parliament, an annual event organised by the National Youth Council to discuss political, social and economic themes on the national agenda, was held on September 22.
The fourth exhibition, Science in the House, ahead of the Science in the City Festival, was inaugurated on September 25. The exhibition showcased the research being conducted at the University of Malta and elsewhere.
Artists and practitioners in the fields of cultural heritage, the arts, the media and creative business services met in Parliament last Monday to discuss the future of Malta’s cultural and creative sectors. The forum was organised as part of a consultative process in the run-up to the launch of the Arts Council Malta’s five-year strategy (2016-2020).
The new parliament building was open for visitors during Notte Bianca on Saturday night, when MPs and staff members led tours around the complex.