At a time of judicial turmoil and a looming general election it is well that our senior legal minds turn their thoughts to the necessary judicial reforms.

I confess I am impressed by the volume of work carried out by Parliament’s Recodification and Consolidation of Law Committee chaired by Nationalist MP Franco Debono where this matter appears to have been dealt with.

Here, according to a press report by Labour MP Josè Herrera, a member of the committee, appointments to the judiciary are considered in detail under Article 88 of the amended draft Code.

The paragraphs mentioned in this article go through the necessary criteria of qualification, experience, competence and skill that a legal person requires to be eligible. Little or nothing is said about character, probity, personal characteristics and so on. Admittedly these human qualities are difficult to assess but it is precisely these qualities that have been found wanting in some members of our judiciary that have let the Bench down badly. The errant ones were all competent and familiar with the law.

It seems evident from well outside the box that some public information should be required regarding personal lifestyle, personal interests in business or other activities and other such matters, acquired by a wide, specially selected public body in a scrutiny conducted openly.

We have witnessed some in the appointment of former Foreign Minister Tonio Borg as EU Commissioner.