Leader of the Opposition Joseph Muscat yesterday told Parliament that the time had come for it to stop being treated as a government department and be given the full autonomy it needed to gain much more dignity than a new building could give it.
People’s voice through petitions should also be heard. At present petitions gather dust in parliamentary buildings
Dr Muscat said that the Speaker’s role was not given enough recognition and he proposed that the House should rid itself of its colonial heritage through which the Chief Justice was given precedence over the Speaker. He was not saying this with disrespect to Chief Justice or judiciary.
He said that when an institution such as Parliament was used according to its aims, and parties really heard what each had to say, the country’s achievements were much greater.
Speaking during the 90th anniversary from the setting up of Parliament, Dr Muscat said that one should focus on national unity to achieve better results.
On December 30, 1957, Parliament had unanimously approved the Break-with-Britain resolution. In 1967, during the politico-religious conflict, the Labour opposition had seconded a motion for the British government to honour its obligations.
In 1974, a majority in Parliament decided to make Malta a republic. Moreover, in 1986, both parties had found a solution to the electoral system and in 1994, both parties agreed on a framework of financial legislation that changed the face of the Maltese economy.
In 2008, parliament had unanimously voted in to ratify the Lisbon Treaty. Three years later, parliament had unanimously agreed on the eurozone issue and unanimously agreed to give a breath of fresh air to Air Malta.
This did not exclude disagreements: the important issue was that controversies should be based on principles and not on pique.
Earlier, Dr Muscat said that workers’ riots in times of extreme poverty were the catalysts for the British government to recognise that there was the need of a new Parliament.
The Labour party had strived for conditions, where the majority was not always in favour of. Nonetheless, these aims were still achieved. Between 1947 and 1950, the labour government had made education obligatory, dealt with housing and improved employment conditions in a time when the Maltese economy was almost inexistent. These progressive politics helped those in need.
Dr Muscat said that there were times where Parliament achieved more aims than in other times.
Indeed, one should achieve a wider representation of women. He paid tribute to Agatha Barbara, who was the first female MP and minister and the first female and only president. He also paid tribute to Mabel Strickland and Miriam Spiteri Debono, who was the only female to serve as Speaker of the House.
He paid tribute to all Prime Ministers – politics, he said, should not only attract people from the legal profession. Blue collared workers had also a place in politics.
Dr Muscat said this anniversary should serve to evolve the institution of Parliament: there was a need of a constitutional reform that should not be limited to people in politics but also open to civil society.
Parliament should have absolute autonomy. This, he said, would give it the necessary dignity even more than the new building. Parliamentary scrutiny should also be evolved.
People’s voice through petitions should also be heard. At present petitions gathered dust in Parliamentary buildings.
The rules regulating the Public Accounts Committee should also be amended so that if a minister, responsible for a particular entity, presided over such committee would give up his place during such hearing.
One should also accelerate the process to broadcast parliamentary debates through the Internet. Attendance records should also be available online.
There was also a need to set up a Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, who would analyse MPs behaviour, even members of the cabinet, investigate, report to the Speaker of the House and publish his reports.
Moreover, one should consider reducing the voting age to 16. Dr Muscat said that in 1974, some had disagreed to reduce voting age from 21 to 18. “We should lead not follow”, he said. The first step would be to implement this in local council elections and then analyse the situation.
These were all important changes. Parliament needed more transparency and not a luxurious building in times where Maltese families were suffering. MPs should strive so that parliament would truly deserve the reputation of being the highest institution in the country.
With these changes implemented, parliament would gain respect giving Malta a future of bravery and stability.