The recent Budget debate, as it evolved, uncovered a blatant truth: that this Government acts responsibly on public finances and that Labour, awe-struck by the Budget’s reasonable and

beneficial proposals, is groping in the dark, in search of grandiose schemes, without costing its extravagant proposals.

In justice and home affairs matters, the opposition merely reacts; it never proposes. Browsing through Bidu Gdid, I could find practically nothing on such an important subject. Not only is there no title or chapter on matters relating to the police, our law-enforcement agencies, the justice system or the Armed Forces, but there is not even one iota of a proposal. Labour’s vision on justice and the interior is to oppose; and just react.

When Government introduced legislation to grant a right of appeal to the Attorney General in criminal proceedings – to review lenient sentences regarding hardened criminals – the Opposition requested a division and voted against. When Government proposed tougher measures on the granting of bail and incentivised accomplices to reveal the names of their partners in crime, Labour clamoured that such proposals ran against our Constitutional provisions. Since then, no constitutional challenge has been submitted and, as in other things, I expect the Opposition to make another U-turn in this regard.

In the meantime, the Police Force continues in its stride, registering one success after the other; its Drug Squad grabbed 11 kilos of heroin in one swoop and netted 30,000 ecstasy tablets – an absolute record. The crime rate has declined for the second year running, while abroad, the rate soars. In Malta we are registering significant reductions in theft, burglaries, snatch and grab and other serious crimes. Theft of cars has fallen by 51 per cent since 1998.

While tackling crime in its various nefarious manifestations, the Police Force has invested human and financial resources, in the process resulting in the acceptance of Malta in the Schengen system. Over a period of three months, beginning on 21 December, Malta will be fully integrated in the Schengen area. This means that any passenger leaving Malta by sea (on 21 December) or by air (on 28 December) for any Schengen country will not pass through any border control and will not pass through any passport booths. This measure will strengthen the freedom of movement of Maltese citizens and residents, eliminating the current bureaucratic controls at border points.

For a country of modest size like ours, this is no mean achievement and it was made possible by the significant dedication of the newly set up Sirene Unit within the Police Force.

The Force’s success did not go unnoticed in this year’s Budget. Apart from the benefits relating to collective agreement increases, children’s allowance benefits and the easing of income tax rates, the Prime Minister authorised the introduction of a Lm45 monthly allowance to 211 police officers who work office duties or in the trades section. Their dedication to their duties has been rewarded.

The integration of Malta’s law enforcement agencies into Europe’s anti-crime network, the Malta Police liaison with Europol and Eurojust, has enhanced the Force’s capacity in fighting crime – local and transnational.

It looks forward to the future with courage and determination, cognisant of the fact that it is supported by a government whose investment in law and order is unbeatable.