The news of David Stellini leaving the local politics scene has now been confirmed. I met him first during the 2017 pre-election door-to-door crossfire at his hometown of Sannat. He instantly struck me as a very sensible, respectful individual with good brains.

A very down-to-earth person whose only intention was helping the Gozitan people within the Nationalist Party structure.

It’s shameful, to say the least, for Maltese politics to lose such a person. Has anybody realised we had an intelligent, well-intentioned politician elected to Parliament who resigned to return to his press officer post within the EPP? Is it not demeaning this has happened for Maltese politics?

Has anybody wondered about the reasons and connotations of such a courageous step this young promising local politician made?

I am not aware of the exact reasons but I can only imagine that family pressures were of prime importance. Relocating the whole family to a different culture and a far lesser paid job is not something one would wish for. It is usually the opposite. Being a member of the Maltese Parliament is not enough because you cannot feed your children with just honour.

It is easy to point fingers for this misadventure but the culprits are mainly two in my humble opinion.

He has been a victim of the PN and of the prevailing political system.

The PN is first to blame because it was the party that, in the first place, must have lured him to contest the last general election on the Gozo district. Being a gentleman, he accepted, maybe against his instinct, and after a clean, intelligent campaign he got elected.

It is obvious that a family of four cannot survive on a salary of €1,500 a month.

It was up to the PN to protect him and not discard him as it did. A quiet, educated person, Stellini is not the sort of person who would threaten the higher party echelons. Unfortunately, being a gentleman does not work in politics. One has to be tough and ruthless.

The Maltese system is also at fault.

Unfortunately, being a gentleman does not work in politics. One has to be tough and ruthless

MPs are paid as paupers because theirs is considered to be a part-time job, expected to work during the day and attend Parliament in the afternoon, three times a week. But an MP does not only attend three-and-a-half-hour parliamentary sessions three times a week but also constantly meets people.

Listening to people is time consuming and assimilating their suggestions and making formal proposals are even more time consuming. Preparing well-studied interventions in the House also takes time if an MP takes it seriously, as s/he should, thus contributing to a really productive sitting rather than monotonous repetitive speeches. So even if the parliamentary sessions only take 10-and-a-half hours every week, save exceptional circumstances, the hours of preparation are many more.

Thus, considering an MP’s job as part time is an ill-construed idea.

Their salaries are ridiculously low and disheartening to many well intentioned individuals, especially in the Opposition ranks who do not have any hope of a Cabinet post.

An MP post should be considered as a full-time job even given the present number of hours. An MP can consider retaining his/her previous job but only on a part-time basis if s/he deems fit. Yet, once elected, being an MP should be the main job and not a part-time commitment.

How can we ever attract young individuals to politics unless they are certain their party wins at the polls, thus guaranteeing them a good job apart, from the current part time MP post? In the 1980s and 1990s many young politicians joined the PN and now history is repeating itself but this time it is the Labour Party.

The only way forward is to consider an MP’s job as a full-time post with appropriate remuneration and the necessary support. The government should act now because, in due course, the tables will be turned and it would be late to cry on spilt milk, as the PN is doing today.

This could be the reason why we had an almost quarter of a century rule by the PN and a similar stint by a Labour government appears to be likely.

A healthy political scene would consist of a party being in power for two or three terms before there is a change. Thus, democracy is safeguarded and unwanted practices are avoided.

It is time the government takes the bull by the horns and modify MPs’ salaries.

Their salary should be equivalent to at least Scale 1 of the public service. There should be a smaller number of Cabinet members with a salary equivalent to that of MEPs. It is ridiculous having a system where the Prime Minister is paid a pittance for his tiring, stressful and such an important role for the nation.

I am sure it was with a broken heart, though a clear conscience, that Stellini decided to leave. Only a few people like Stellini will be attracted to politics, which is so important for the country, if things remain unchanged.

Franco Mercieca is a former Labour parliamentary secretary.

This is a Times of Malta print opinion piece