Prime Minister Joseph Muscat is suggesting ‘a leaner’ ministerial code of ethics, whilst complaining that the current code is too voluminous to abide with.
Interviewed this morning by Andrew Azzopardi during his current affairs programme ‘Ghandi x’Nghid’ on Radio Malta Dr Muscat said that the in the current code of ethics there is only one exception which allows cabinet members to perform private practice, which is lecturing at University.
“This is tailor-made for lawyers, and I have no qualms about it” citing the example of the late President Emeritus Guido de Marco.
The prime minister said that he only granted a waiver to Parliamentary Secretary Franco Mercieca and nobody else, “as it is my right to do so as prime minister”. “The code of ethics states that ultimately it is the prime minister who takes the decisions”.
Dr Muscat said that the code of ethics was drafted 20 years ago, in completely different circumstances. “In those days those who had a mobile phone, had to carry a device the size of a suitcase and it only lasted for a quarter of an hour, whereas faxes were the most technologically advanced form of communication. Emails were unheard of at the time”.
The prime minister built his case citing the controversy surrounding the Maltese-style clock donated to former finance minister Tonio Fenech, saying that even then some had branded this code of ethics as outdated.
Dr Muscat said that the new code of ethics has to be more concise, as “it is practically impossible for somebody to abide with it in full”. As the same time the code of ethics should leave no grey areas.
He defended the waiver granted to Dr Mercieca, insisting that “if he had to stop from his private practice, patients would have to be treated abroad”. “I think this is the most logic and obvious decision that I could have made”.
Dr Muscat also remarked that in previous PN-led administrations a member of cabinet was still practising as a notary.
The prime minister also fended off criticism following his decision to renounce to an official car, and get €7,000 a year in return for using his private vehicle. He said that upon taking office he was asked which car he would like to buy, since the BMW Series 7 used by his predecessor was not worth repairing as its maintenance costs were prohibitive and close to €60,000 a year.
Dr Muscat said initial estimates showed that a new car would cost tens of thousands of euros. In view of this he opted to keep using his private car, as this costs half the money to hire a car. “Then end result is that we saved taxpayers’ money” he said.
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