Nationlist MP Charlo Bonnici this evening appealed to both sides of the House to work together to make Parliament more effective and deserving of public esteem in the wake of controversies over honoraria and attendance by MPs.
Speaking in the House, Mr Bonnci said some media comments gave the impression that MPs were a burden on the people and interested only in money.
There was nothing wrong in the public and the media discussing Parliament and the role of MPs, although some reports and comments were not fair, he said.
MPS' ATTENDANCE
The attendance of MPs, Mr Bonnci said, had become a topical subject.
He believed that the frequency of attendance was a reflection on the MPs. Indeed, some months ago he remarked that it should be laid down, for example, that attendance by MPs for Question Time should be at its maximum – a suggestion which did not endear him with his colleagues on both sides.
The point he wished to make, Mr Bonnci said, was that MPs needed to find a way to improve their participation in parliamentary activity, although he also felt that the whole issue should not be sensationalised.
Mr Bonnici said he wished to appeal to all MPs to be careful in their public comments on this subject. While everyone was responsible for his actions, the people should be helped to appreciate the work of MPs, rather than view them with contempt.
THE HONORARIA
Much had also been said about MPs' honoraria. He felt, Mr Bonnici said, that matters could have been done and communicated better.
Clearly, the issue had not been beneficial for the public perception of parliament. Many thought MPs were there for the money, when, actually, they would make more money if they were not MPs. The contribution which most MPs did to society was not being appreciated.
There was no doubt that if the issue was to be raised again, three years down the line, the same arguments would be repeated.
MPs, Mr Bonnci said, needed to transmit a positive signal that Parliament had a central role in democracy.
He looked forward to the reactivation of the House Committee to Strengthen Democracy and said that since there was hardly any hope that it could agreed on all the items before it in the limited time available in this legislature, MPs should agreed on what the country's priorities were, and tackle those first.
Suggestions had been made to the committee by then Speaker Louis Galea and Deputy Speaker Carmelo Abela on ways to improve the functioning of parliament, and he felt progress could be made in that area.
He felt there needed to be changes in the way speeches were delivered, with contributions being based on more substance following the necessary research.
Parliament should not be simply the rubber stamp of legislation, but should come up with its own proposals for legislation. Something on these lines was done recently in the Social Affairs Committee with regard to IVF, and he hoped that the proposals agreed there would make it to legislation.
He also wanted to stress, however, Mr Bonnici said, that outside of the House, MPs also needed to have time to meet their constituents. These were the people whom MPs represented, they should be the 'fuel' which propelled them forward in their work.
Mr Bonnici said he agreed with calls for the Maltese parliament to have a representative in the European Parliament, given the increased linkage between that institution and national parliaments.
He also felt that the Maltese parliament should have a media office to highlight the work done by MPs and improve relations between parliament and the media.
Both sides of the House, Mr Bonnici said, should put aside partisan politics and ensure that the House would enjoy the public esteem which it deserved as the expression of the people's democratic choice.