Home Affairs Minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici said today that he could not understand the reasons for the Opposition motion of no confidence and he was prepared to step down from his role as Leader of the House.

Speaking in Parliament this morning, he said that the long debate in the House had led him to reflect on the performance of the ministry and how outsiders viewed it.

He denied that he had been reluctant to have this debate and said he was declaring that he was ready to step down from his role as Leader of the House.

Dr Mifsud Bonnici said he still had to understand why the Opposition had moved this motion. Both Opposition speakers Michael Falzon and Jose' Herrera had sounded almost apologetic and they went out of their way to say that this was political opportunism.

He had worked with them over the past four years, consulted them regularly, even chased them for consultation, and, therefore, he could not understand their actions. He had never attacked them personally or in a disloyal manner. There was agreement with the opposition in most of the Bills he had presented in parliament. Over the years he had also heard praise from them.

"I hope others will not go through what I have gone through" he said.

Dr Mifsud Bonnici said he was also surprised how the Opposition had launched its attack while he was in hospital, battling for his life and his health.  A statement issued by the Opposition just two days before a serious operation which he underwent was a sign of disloyalty, and yet it was followed up with a press conference, held when he was not in a position to reply.

These actions were unexpected and a mystery to him and he wished somebody would explain.

"I hope this sort of thing is not done to anybody else" Dr Mifsud Bonnici said. He was saying this out of respect to the truth and not to draw sympathy. He had never sought to harm anyone and he would continue to work while not harming anyone.

The past year, Dr Mifsud Bonnici said, was a trying one, not only because of his health problems, but also because of unique challenges such as the Libya crisis. But he was proud to have served the country.

His pride extended also to the previous years when he had introduced reforms to improve the people's safety, security and living standards.

He sought to protect those who were most vulnerable.

In everything he did, whether it was immigration or crime, he always kept in mind that everyone was human and should enjoy the dignity of a human being while the law was respected and justice was administered correctly.

Among the major reforms which he had piloted, Dr Mifsud Bonnici said, were the new debt recovery system at the law courts, the new Family Court, the new conflict resolution mechanism including mediation and arbitration services, the child offenders register, new laws to settle paternity cases, new court procedures, stiffer penalties for racism, child abuse and child porn, improved probation services and new regulations for the fireworks sector.

His ministry had also worked on new measures against corruption, a whistleblowers' act and a house union for the police as well as reforms to the drugs laws.

Dr Mifsud Bonnici said this was a motion of opportunism by the Opposition based on inaccuracy, mud-slinging and lies.

None of the reasons given by the Opposition justified his resignation.

NICHOLAS AZZOPARDI CASE - I have nothing to hide

Reacting to the comments by Evarist Bartolo (PL) on the death of Nicholas Azzopardi in police custody, Dr Mifsud Bonnici said he had nothing to hide. Two inquiries had been held, one by a magistrate and then, on his own initiative, by a judge. It was unfair to accuse him of trying to hide anything. He had seen the reports and read the evidence presented to Judge Albert Manche'.

And as he had declared four years ago, he put everything at everybody's disposal. Yet in four years no one ever bothered to see the documents, and he would, therefore, lay them on the Table of the House, in case some MPs did not know where his office was.

"I can declare that if there is anything new which might shed new light on this case, it will be acted upon," Dr Mifsud Bonnici said. The CPT, he said, had met the Azzopardi family and all others involved, and they said the police had done their duties well.

Dr Mifsud Bonnici also noted than an independent inquiry had also been carried out in the death of Bastjan Borg and in both cases the police were exonerated.

It was not the minister who carried out these inquiries, Dr Mifsud Bonnici said adding that he was very careful that in such tragic cases, politics were not involved.

BETTER TRAINED POLICE FORCE

Turning  to the situation in the police force, Dr Mifsud Bonnici noted that under this government, the police had retained the right to retire after 25 years of service – something other governments had taken away from them. Furthermore, under this government, retired policemen could fine a new job while keeping their pension.

The police shifts had been improved and the officers were enjoying more extra duty, with new overtime allowances and higher disturbance allowance. Merit certificates were also being presented to officers who distinguished themselves.

More patrols than ever before were being held, and the police had more equipment with which to work.

Over the past 10 years, 864 recruits joined the force. The intake was regular every year to ensure that staff numbers were maintained. Significant focus was placed on police training, with  an extended basic training course. Indeed, a new Police Academy was being built. All this was an investment towards greater safety for society. Society was responding well, with an increasing number of people applying to join the force.

The work on the new Police Academy was progressing as planned, Dr Mifsud Bonnici said. Because  of restoration works at St Elmo, the academy had moved out of the fort and was temporarily housed at Ta’ Kandia.

Dr Mifsud Bonnici rejected claims that the police force was demoralised and said that performance showed otherwise.

The government, he said, was committed to ensure that the Malta Police Association became a trade union. Legislation had also been prepared to increase penalties when policemen were assaulted while on duty.

The minister said every district and section of the police was important. To serve in a district was not discrimination or punishment, far from it. Indeed, the policy was to have more policemen in districts and in the streets, with a higher visible presence and more work in the community. The police would also have more regular meetings with local councils because such meetings were useful to reduce crime and improve the information flow.

Over the past four years, Dr Mifsud Bonnici said, significant investment was made in a new forensics department housed in better premises. The police had new fingerprints and DNA equipment networked with facilities in other countries. The police also had new digital photographic equipment, new cameras and recording equipment, equipment to detect false documents and banknotes,  and a wealth of other apparatus.

Turning to the Prosecutions Unit, Dr Mifsud Bonnici said this unit was originally set up under the Labour government. However, it could not handle all police prosecutions.

Were that the case, one would need twice the number of inspectors than there were at present. The unit, therefore, was serving as a back-up for the inspectors who, it had to be said, were better prepared for court work than ever before.

Dr Mifsud Bonnici said he had also ensured that police cars were replaced regularly, particularly in the Mobile Squad. And the purchase of cars had not come about because this motion was moved, the minister stressed.

The minister challenged anyone to claim that he had discriminated against anyone in the police force.   

Last year, Dr Mifsud Bonnici said, the crime rate had dropped to the lowest level it had been for years – if one excluded the theft of some 2,000 mobile phones, which was a new phenomenon.

DOG SECTION

Dr Mifsud Bonnici said the police had 27 dogs and almost all were healthy except four who had been retired from active service because they were old. Eight dogs were trained to detect explosives, eight to detect drugs and six were used for protection. Two were used for displays. It was not true that the Dog Section was beefed up because of the Pope’s visit as Labour MP Michael Falzon had said. Preparations had started well before that. Members of the Maltese section had even helped their Cypriot counterparts, Dr Mifsud Bonnici said.

Turning to the communications systems, Dr Mifsud Bonnici said all policemen were now equipped with radios. Last year, 200 new digital radios were bought and the Police Corps had set up an efficient radio network, which would continue to be improved.

PACEVILLE

Dr Mifsud Bonnici said the police force deployed its officers according to need in a flexible manner. It was certainly not true that a Paceville deployment was a punishment, as Dr Falzon had said. Furthermore, a number of plain clothes policemen were also deployed.

PRISONER’S DEATH

Referring to remarks by the leader of the opposition yesterday about the death of prisoner Stephen Spiteri last year, Dr Mifsud Bonnici said it was not true that his family were kept in the dark. This case was being given importance and a magisterial inquiry was under way. Three meetings were held with Mr Spiteri’s family this year.

MAJOR DRUG HAULS AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING

In his address, Dr Mifsud Bonnici said he wanted to praise the Drug Squad for its major drug hauls this year, and he went on to list some of them.

He said the ministry was also heavily engaged in measures to counter human trafficking. Legislation had raised penalties against this crime. Work was done with Appoġġ and with the police. The latter now had a specialised section on this activity.

It was his pleasure to note, Dr Mifsud Bonnici said, that, according to surveys, the people had more confidence in the police than, say, parliament, politicians and the press. Any yet, the Opposition gave a completely different and distorted picture of the state of the Force.

Turning to justice, Dr Mifsud Bonnici pointed to legislation introduced jointly with then justice minister Tonio Borg to cut down on overlapping of procedures. New measures were introduced so that children gave evidence only once, possibly through video conferencing, reducing their trauma.

There had been amendments on the selection of jurors, compensation for victims of crime, and legislation against racism in all its forms, xenophobia and piracy.

New amendments were moved on child maintenance and the Convention on the Protection of the Child was signed.

Other laws included protection against child abuse and porn, measures against animal cruelty and abandonment.

New regulations were introduced on bouncers and private security guards, who now required a licence.

The recent setting up the Child Offenders Register, Dr Mifsud Bonnici said, was a milestone. This was not restricted to sex crime, but all crime which children had to be protected from. Anyone who was about to engage somebody to a place where children were involved now had a duty to request information from the register.

FIREWORKS

Turning to regulation of fireworks, Dr Mifsud Bonnici said he appreciated the collaboration of Dr Falzon and said the reform which had been carried out was bearing fruit.  His first law had been a reaction to the Naxxar explosion, the minister recalled. There were now tougher penalties against anyone who broke the law, higher compensation for  those who suffered damages and better control of fireworks factories.

PRISONS

On the prisons, he said, that all that needed to be done in terms of the promises made in the electoral manifesto had been done. Only electronic tagging remained to be introduced and this would come by the end of this year if all went well, but that was something that required a lot of work.

He said that the required attention was given to the CPT report and the Bickle issue came up as a result of this report. She was found guilty in the first instance and was now awaiting appeal.

The minister said that from the 450 people who entered the facility in the past four years, only 14 were repeat offenders.

From regular and not random urine tests carried out, eight per cent of prisoners were found to have traces of drugs in their system. More needed to be done needed in this area, he said. 

Dr Mifsud Bonnici said that the electronical blocking of cell phone calls at the prisons was somewhat difficult to operate as it also blocked calls from other people in the area.  

The minister said that there were 48 inmates at Corradino who had primary level of education, 288 secondary, five tertiary and 45 were completely illiterate. Several courses were being organised in prison with a number even attending classes outside the facility, including at university. IT was introduced to many prisoners and some 70 prisoners were working to become computer literate. Work had also been initiated for the facility’s school to become an ETC satellite centre.

On the Yours facility, the minister said that Maltese actors had offered to train Maltese prisoners in the same way as foreigners had recently been trained, putting up a show at St James’ Cavalier.

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE

The minister referred to the Restorative Justice Act and said it could not be introduced at one go. He was convinced the system would work and had an interest to see it implemented, seeing that it was his baby.

The government, he said, had been ultra-progressive in this introducing not just parole but also victim-offender mediation.

Dr Mifsud Bonnici that people who would benefit either from parole or remission would have to follow a system.

The minister said that he met all the people who could be involved in restorative justice going over the law tooth and nail to ensure that once the process was in place there would not be any problems. All this was done during the war in Libya.

Two important steps had already been made and the Remission and Parole boards would be set in due time, once the necessary preparatory work was completed.

The system required triple guarantees to ensure that it would work because there were people who had an interest that it did not. There were people who had an interest to see him fail but the fight for justice had to go on.

Dr Mifsud Bonnici appealed for Restorative Justice not to be turned into the sacrificial lamb.

He said that probational parole had been set up but only after amendments to strengthen probation were set up. Community service was also strengthened in preparation for the introduction of restorative justice. The number of community service hours was increased from 240 to 480 and a number of NGOs and councils provided community work.

The minister said that a group of people were meeting weekly to see how the system could be improved and taken forward.

Dr Mifsud Bonnici said that as a minister he had sought to safeguard the independence of the judiciary.

He did not interfere in the decisions taken by the Chief Justice  and he had no powers to discipline  magistrates and judges, including when they went out on break. He also did not assign the judges.

However, he was in favour of discipline for everyone. The government was in favour of strengthening the Commission for the Administration of Justice.

In his view, Dr Mifsud Bonnici said, it  should be the judiciary which administered the courts and the Chief Justice should be able to assign the judges as well as enforce discipline.

As a minister, Dr Mifsud Bonnici said, he even sought the permission of the Chief Justice before meeting any judge.

Turning to the measures he had taken to reduce court procedural delays, Dr Mifsud Bonnici said he had introduced so many reforms, that many people had actually called on him to slow down. However, the effectiveness of reforms took some time to trickle down.

Among the reforms was the mechanism of the official letters for uncontested debt recovery and the measures on bills of exchange. These measures had led to a situation were as many as 25,000 cases were quickly settled without a whole court process. Other measures included the arbitration system, which had been introduced in every part of the progressive work but fiercely resisted by Labour.

The sitting ended at noon but Dr Mifsud Bonnici is expected to resume his address when the House reconvenes at 5 pm.