Justice Minister Owen Bonnici said today that one of the justice reforms is the setting up of an agency to improve the services given by legal aids. The agency falls under the remit of the department of justice.
Dr Bonnici was speaking during another Gevrn li jisma session (a government that listens), along with Parliamentary Secretary for Local Councils Stefan Buontempo.
The reform will see that a legal aid is appointed by the agency and not by the Attorney General. This will solve the anomaly that a legal aid is appointed by the AG whose office then prosecutes against the accused.
There have been cases where the AG contests a court decision involving a person who was appointed a legal aid by the AG.
An individual who attended tonight’s decision lamented over the tardiness of court hearings, saying that at times cases are heard two hours late. He also said that separation cases take far too long to be concluded, mostly because those notified do not turn up several times.
Dr Bonnici said that he is not too happy to see that parties in court cases do not turn up in court, despite being notified, delaying the process of family court cases, adding that he has urged the Opposition to agree with the government to implement a measure whereby magistrates can go ahead taking a decision on cases in the absence of persons who are notified but fail to appear in court.
Historic sites
Dr Bonnici said that a public consultation would soon kick off for a month tied to our islands historic sites and how they can be best safeguarded.
Drug reform
A parent said that he was concerned over the new drug reform. Dr Bonnici said parents do not need to worry since the aim of the new law is for those who fall victim to drugs to be given the necessary support. Those who are caught in possession of a small amouint of drugs won’t be sent to prison but given help.
Wardens hiding behind trees unacceptable, Buontempo says
Dr Buontempo said that government was engaging in a reform of the warden system to ensure that wardens educate people not punish them. We cannot accept a situation whereby wardens hide behind a tree to surprise motorists engaging in an illegality, he said while also taking umbrage over the fact that wardens are ordered by their employer to issue at least three fines every hour.
Alfred Grixti, the mayor of Zebbug, said that wardens cannot keep pinning the blame on mayors or council members for hiding behind trees.
Carnival
A carnival enthusiast explained that to build a float it costs as much as 16,000 euros or more. He said finally the carnival village idea is starting to become a reality. He also highighted that it could no longer go on that as carnival approched, enthusiasts would be ordered out of the premises they would be using, referring to the evictions from Fort St Elmo. Dr Bonnici said that the premises to host the floats will be in Marsa.
PL inherited €22m in local council debts
Dr Buontemo said that this year it is 20 years since local councils were introduced.
He said he did some stock taking ever since he was appointed to his post by meeting a number of members from various councils and hamlets.
Dr Buontempo said the PL inherited 22 million euros in local council debts. He said that the biggest headache is to see how one can solve this issue.