A democratic society is bred out of good political will, one that strives to inculcate a culture of democracy that permeates its institutions and feeds the shared values and aspirations of the people.

One cannot have an established democracy if its institutions do not embrace the principles of transparency and accountability that are the hallmark of a democratic mindset.

The current administration has indeed been championing efforts at fostering such a culture by addressing democratic shortcomings in our system. Building on the Constitutional Reform (Justice Sector) Act in 2016 that most notably reformed the system of judicial appointments in Malta, the government last week launched the Public Administration (Amendment) Bill of 2017.

This Bill seeks to establish a new parliamentary committee that assesses nominations for non-career ambassadors and other high-level public positions, in such a way as to make the process in principle and de facto, more democratic.

Indeed to date, political appointees have been, by and large, dependent on the inclinations of the responsible minister, with no system of checks and balances in place to ensure that such appointments respect the exigencies  of the post to be filled.

Following this Bill, the responsibility of the appointment will still reside with the minister, yet the incumbent will be obliged to be cognizant of the recommendations forwarded by the permanent committee.

In so doing, the government is relinquishing part of its power to appoint people at will, and handing it over to the highest institution, Parliament.

The government is relinquishing part of its power to appoint people at will, and handing it over to the highest institution, Parliament

But what is the value of this development in sustaining the democratic culture of our society? First, the committee is made of three members of the government and two members of the Opposition.

For the first time ever, this committee will serve as a platform in which opposing political forces will debate the merits of the candidates. By the very way in which this committee is composed, the government is recognising the parliamentary role of the Opposition, while at the same time strengthening it by making it participative in this selection process.

In so doing, the government has elevated the appointment of high-profile positions from a mere partisan exercise to one that truly reflects the principles of democracy.

Secondly, the Bill proposes that the selection process be made public, unless there are specific circumstances that merit its confidentiality.

A self-respecting democracy recognises that openness and transparency are hallmarks of good governance, and relies on the feedback of the free and open society as a measure of its success in promoting advancement.

Transparency is also essential in fostering trust in the public institutions that will be led by these prospective candidates.

The Maltese citizen needs to rest safe in the knowledge that the heads of government regulatory authorities are deserving of their position and that they are able to be impartial in the proper execution of their duties.

This is accountability put into practice. Indeed, the government has raised the bar of good governance by promoting transparency and accountability towards the Opposition, but more importantly, towards the Maltese citizen who has elected him.

This government delivers.

We are not just talking about making Malta a better society for the generations to come, but we are actually establishing the structures that will ensure that democracy is embedded in the DNA of Malta’s social fabric.

By espousing the principles of good governance, transparency and accountability, the Public Administration Amendment Bill is yet another bold accomplishment in a string of initiatives rolled out by a government intent on making a difference.

This piece of legislation is good news for Parliament, good news for democracy.

Owen Bonnici is Minister for Justice.