Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of the House Louis Grech and parliamentary secretary Roderick Galdes both missed 26 plenary sessions, which amounts to 43% of all the sessions held this year, the highest figure of unexcused absenteeism out of all the Labour MPs.
During the general election campaign this year, Dr Muscat had suggested that MPs honoraria should be linked to their attendance in Parliament.
All MPs are entitled to an Honoraria that is the equivalent to 50% of salary scale 1, equating to an annual pay of 20,110.50, not including other allowances.
Were this system implemented, Mr Grech would be facing a deduction of €3, 723.63 from his honoraria, and Dr Muscat would be €2,721.12 lighter.
Dr Muscat had also pledged that “a new government will be publishing online attendance records of MPs for public scrutiny.”
When The Malta Independent requested the attendance records for this year’s plenary sessions from the House, the paper was told that no such database exists. Working out an MPs attendance therefore involves pulling up the minutes of every single plenary session and checking who is marked as being absent.
Only those who are away on official Parliamentary work are marked as being ‘excused.’ Although checking MPs attendance records this way is far from perfect, it is the only way through which an MPs attendance can be charted, due to the lack of a proper monitoring system.
A spokesperson for the Deputy Prime Minister’s office, who is responsible for the implementation of the PL’s electoral manifesto said that, “The new administration is working actively in order to deliver this electoral pledge. A process of consultation, which will also include discussions with the Opposition, is already underway.”
Frontbench failures
Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi was another notable absentee, having missed 37% of all sessions held, followed by Gozo Minister Anton Refalo and Parliamentary Secretary Edward Zammit Lewis, who both missed 28%, Jose Herrera missed 27%, and Foreign Minister George Vella who missed 27%.
Family Minister Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca missed a fourth of her Parliamentary duties having failed to attend 15 sessions which amounts to 25%. Education Minister Evarist Bartolo played truant 14 times this year, which amount to 23% of the sessions held, a figure shared with his Parliamentary Secretary Stefan Buontempo, who also missed 23% of all sessions.
The diligent attendees
At the other end of the scale, Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia missed just four sessions this year, amounting to 7%. Second on the list is the Parliamentary Secretary for Justice Owen Bonnici, who also missed four sessions.
The Parliamentary Secretary for Planning Michael Farrugia missed 6 sessions (10%), Health Minister Godfrey Farrugia , Economy Minister Chris Cardona and Parliamentary Secretary Ian Borg all missed 12% of this year’s sessions, Minister for Social Dialogue Helena Dalli and Tourism Minister Karmenu Vella 8 (13%), Ministers Leo Brincat and Joe Mizzi both missed 9 sittings (15%), together with Parliamentary Secretary Franco Mercieca.
Finance Minister Edward Scicluna just inched in to the sub-20% bracket having attended 11 sittings (18%).
Balking at the backbench
Labour backbencher Marlene Farrugia was not present for 23 of the sessions held this year, which amounts to 38% of the total, by far the highest of any backbencher.
Only two Labour MPs did not absent themselves from any sessions this year without being excused. Both Deo Debbatista and Deborah Schembri can boast a 100% track-record when it comes to Parliamentary attendance.
Keeping it in the family: The Gonzi’s boast worst attendance record
· Eight of the 30 Opposition deputies missed over 1/4th of all sessions
Former Prime Minister and MP Lawrence Gonzi has the worst attendance of all MPs from both parties prior to his resignation from Parliament on 17 July.
Dr Gonzi failed to attend 24 out of a possible 54 sessions, which means that he was absent from 44% of the plenary sessions held.
Prior to the election of Simon Busuttil as the PN’s leader, Dr Gonzi had told The Independent on Sunday that he will not get in the way of the new leadership structure, which is certainly reflected by his attendance record in Parliament.
Dr Gonzi’s brother Michael Gonzi was the second worst offender on the Opposition’s side when it comes to attending Parliament. Dr Gonzi failed to attend 26 of the 60 sessions in question, amounting to 43%.
Third on the list is PN MP Albert Fenech who missed 24 sessions, equating to 40%. Mario Galea is next on the list having missed 20 sessions, equating to 33% of the total held, followed closely by Francis Zammit Dimech who missed 18 sessions (30%). Former minister Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici and MP Stephen Spiteri both missed 28% of the sessions.
Marthese Portelli was absent from 25% of this year’s sessions, including the first vote of the current legislature on 3 June.
PN’s leadership structure: Setting a good example?
PN leader Simon Busuttil has missed four sessions this year (7%), albeit one was prior to him being sworn-in as leader on 13 May and the other three after his appointment as leader.
The PN’s Deputy Leader for Parliamentary affairs has missed 7 sessions, three of which were missed prior to him being voted into the Deputy Leadership role.
Beppe Fenech Adami, the PN Deputy leader for Party Affairs has missed 3 sessions this year. Two of those sessions were missed on the 20th and 21st of May, a few days before his appointment as Deputy Leader on the 25th of May.
The PN’s Secretary-General is the most diligent attendee out of all of the Party’s leadership structure, having missed just a single session after his appointment to the role.
Only two MPs have not absented themselves from any sessions
PN MPs Charlo Bonnici, and Clyde Puli have not been marked as being absent during any of the 60 plenary sessions held this year, therefore boasting a 100% attendance record.
An honourable mention also goes to Antoine Borg, who in his nascent beginnings as a Parliamentarian has attended all the sessions held since Parliament reconvened in September.
Note: All percentages figures were rounded up or down to the nearest 10 accordingly.
Notable Statistics
· Parliament could only boast of a full house of 69 MPs on three occasions, the opening two days of the current legislature on 6 April and 8 April, and on budget day on April 10.
· The morning and afternoon sessions held on 26 June were the most poorly attended of the year, with 26 MPs absenting themselves.
Whipped into attendance
The first vote of this legislature was held on 3 June with 68 of the 69 MPs in attendance. The Opposition put forward an amendment to the President’s speech, asking the Government to commit itself to creating 25,000 thousand jobs over the next five years.
The motion was defeated by 29 to 39 votes. Despite the Government’s nine seat majority, it was actually PN MP Marthese Portelli who failed to attend the session.
On 9 October, an Opposition motion opposing the Speaker’s ruling that PN leader Simon Busuttil was prime facia in breach of privilege was defeated with 35 votes against and 25 in favour.
Three government MPs, namely Manuel Mallia, Konrad Mizzi and Roderick Galdes failed to turn up for the vote. On the Opposition’s side, both Jason Azzopardi and Albert Fenech were no shows.
Frederick Azzopardi, Charlo Bonnici, Joe Debono Grech and Micheal Gonzi were excused from that particular session as they were away on Parliamentary work.