Government backbencher Franco Debono on Tuesday made an impassioned appeal for necessary fillips for democracy to be pushed through without further delay.
Speaking during the adjournment, he expressed “grave concern” at comments by Chief Justice Silvio Camilleri at the start of the Forensic Year on Monday, showing that the executive was still not giving due importance to the administration of justice. One lesson to be learnt from Libya was that economic prosperity was no indicator of a strong democracy.
There was an urgent need in Malta’s democracy for a constitutional structure to reflect modern times, including the upgrading of Parliament. The Select Committee set up for just such a task seemed to have floundered. But that did not mean one should stop there.
The President of Malta, who was above partisan politics, was doing his utmost to make the people conscious of the need for huge constitutional reforms. He was the guardian of the Constitution and had every right to speak about such changes. There had been repeated calls for a resolution to change the way of electing the Head of State. The present method did not reflect the importance of this highest institution.
Dr Debono said Malta needed not only separation of powers but also balance among institutions. On the 90th anniversary of the founding of Parliament the institution was still weak and in need of better resources, but especially greater autonomy. It was unacceptable that in Malta’s democracy political parties were the least organisations regulated at law. Democracy went much further than five-yearly elections.
The judiciary must no longer be pegged with the civil service. It deserved a much better package to attract the best candidates to the bench, not just in salaries and pensions but also conditions of work. They should no longer go without the help of researchers.
It was incongruous to expect members of the judiciary to first help the police with inquiries and then go on to judge police cases.
The present mandatory retirement age of the judiciary was depriving Malta of the best people at the peak of their effectiveness. The method of their appointment must also be more transparent. Both the Justice and Home Affairs departments needed to be strong. The police, too, required better conditions, with the issues of a union and payment of overtime arrears both long overdue. Motivated judiciary and police corps were pillars of democracy.
He appealed to the President, the Speaker and MPs to unite and push forward the urgent reforms needed, true to the memory of their forefathers’ efforts.
It was time to reactivate the Select Committee. Malta should show its up-and-coming neighbours that democracy was more important than the party. The parties had already come together before to make essential constitutional reforms, and any change now must be accompanied by a less polarised culture.