Law Commissioner Franco Debono said today that it was concerning that a quarter of the population did not know what the constitution was but it was more worrying that the Justice Minister also seemed to be unaware of what the constitution said.

He was referring to the ongoing controversy about the nomination of two new magistrates by the government. The Commission for the Administration of Justice has told the Prime Minister that the nomination of Dr Ingrid Zammit Young could be in breach of the constitution because she has, until very recently, chaired the Employment Commission. Legal experts say that the other nomination, that of Dr Caroline Farrugia Frendo, is another ‘gaffe’ because she has not yet practiced as a lawyer for the required seven-year period. The Malta Independent confirmed with government sources that Dr Farrugia Frendo – who is Speaker Anglu Farrugia’s daughter – will be sworn in after 23 February, by which time she will have met the seven-year requirement.

Speaking during ‘Ghandi x’nghid’ on Radju Malta, Dr Debono said it was “a shame” that these two lawyers were thrown into the fray, insisting that the situation could have been avoided had the government checked the facts before nominating them.

He said he hoped the controversy would “spark” the constitutional convention. He said Justice Minister Owen Bonnici was trying hard but the justice sector required “prudence and diligence.”

Dr Debono said he had proposed many of the justice reforms back in 2011. The proposals were taken on board by the Bonello Commission but, six years later they have still not been implemented.  “The PN did not implement them, but neither has the PL, which has been in power for 3 years now.”

The former PN MP also spoke about the Prime Minister’s pledge to increase synergy between the government and the party. “I would have thought that the PL had already placed this synergy at the highest level, seeing that the Deputy Prime Minister has been entrusted with implementing the PL’s electoral programme.”

He questioned, however, if a Deputy Leader for Party Affairs would focus more on his ministry, the party or his district a few months before election time. A deputy leader for party affairs would be expected to mainly focus on the party, he said.