One of the amendments proposed by the government to the Ġieħ ir-Republika Act – to provide for an increase in the number of members of the Xirka – will go against the spirit of this award, Opposition MP Ċensu Galea told Parliament yesterday.

Speaking during the debate in second reading of the Bill, Mr Galea said that when he originally proposed the award in 1975, then Justice Minister Anton Buttigieg limited the number of the awards so as not to devalue it.

Mr Galea said the government, instead of completely removing the capping for Maltese beneficiaries, should have installed capping on foreign beneficiaries.

The Bill also revisits the Grades of the Order, amends the number of medals awarded and revises the number of national events which should be commemorated by the striking of medals.

Charló Bonnici said there should be regulations to ensure the prestige of the honours given. Awards were also granted by local councils to people who had given a contribution to their locality. Yet, there was a temptation to increase these local awards to accommodate everyone.

The notion of capping was always an important consideration. Mr Bonnici said he disagreed with the amendment that would remove the limit on the number persons who could receive an honour. It seemed that the government was seeking to do in five years what the previous administration did in 15.

The government should have installed capping on foreign beneficiaries

Robert Cutajar referred to the three amendments to the Bill, saying there was no anomaly between two different honours but only a distinction. The second amendment referred to honours awarded posthumously. He asked whether there was a similar pattern to what had occurred in the last few months concerning amendments allowing MPs to serve as chairpersons on government boards. Was the government trying to accommodate certain individuals through these amendments, he asked.

Claudette Buttigieg said the Bill was among a number which the government wanted to rush through Parliament. Parliamentary Secretary Owen Bonnici seemed to give the impression of unity, but since he had delivered his speech events showed that one had to take this speech with a pinch of salt.

What did past foreign leaders like Kim il-Sung and Gaddafi contribute to the country to be given such an honour? She added that one of the amendments was so specific that the government seemed to want to legislate to give the highest honour to someone who had died.

On a point of clarification, Dr Bonnici explained that the aim was to give this honour posthumously. He said that if there was any need to refine the clause he was ready to do so in committee stage.