Changes to existing laws precluding MPs from sitting on various government boards and bodies have been submitted by the Government for parliamentary approval.
The Prime Minister has promised a role to each of his MPs
The matter was rasied in Parliament last night.
The changes also include amendments to laws so that the Government will have the option to select its Leader of the House – the person who effectively runs parliamentary business on behalf of the administration – from among its MPs and no longer from its Cabinet, as has been the case since Parlia-ment’s inception.
According to the proposed legislation, unveiled last week through a motion in Parliament and seen by Times of Malta, the Government is proposing that following the approval of the new law, MPs could be able to sit or even chair important national bodies, including Malta Enterprise and the Health and Safety Authority.
Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has already gone on record stating it was not possible for all his MPs to become ministers. However, he promised a role to each of his MPs and also indicated he will also offer some posts to members of the Opposition. On its part, the Opposition criticised Dr Muscat’s plans stating that there should be a clear division between the legislative and executive arms of a functioning democracy. According to the draft law, expected to be discussed in Parliament in the coming weeks, the Government is proposing changes to make it possible for MPs to be appointed as chairmen or board members.
The sources said the role of the Leader of the House – traditionally covered by the office of the Deputy Prime Minister – has already been earmarked for Justyne Caruana, the only Gozitan MP from the government benches left without an executive role.
Meanwhile, eight new opportunities will be opened for other MPs to sit or even chair important posts on the Artisans Council, the Health and Safety Authority, the Cooperatives board, Malta Council for Sports, Malta Enterprise, National Council for the Maltese Language, Malta Film Commission and the Commission on domestic violence.
The PN government had assigned some executive roles to a few MPs in a move to quell internal dissent.
Apart from creating the role of parliamentary assistants, which so far has been abolished by the current Administration, rebel MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando had been made chairman of the Malta Council for Science and Technology – a position he retained under the current Administration. Questions sent to the Prime Minister remained unanswered at the time of writing.