The Malta Chamber and its members this morning said they are deeply perturbed by the fact that no real action has been on “cases of flagrant abuse, bad management, dubious decision processes, conflicts of interest and outright lack of coordination between different elements of the public sector”.

The Malta Chamber is the latest institution to voice its concern about the scandals that have hit the government. Last Saturday, the UHM and the CMTU also expressed their apprehension after the unfolding events related to Panamagate.

In a statement this morning, the Malta Chamber said the country must, at all costs, avoid any risk that business and investment will be affected by the ensuing uncertainty and reputational issues. For this reason, the chamber has always actively advocated full transparency and integrity by all persons in public office. In view of the current developments, and in the interest of growth and jobs, the need to take swift and concrete action is now of utmost urgency. The chamber notes that Parliament will today discuss a Bill entitled “Standards in Public Life”, albeit almost two years after its first reading. The chamber now expects that this piece of legislation is finalised and implemented without further delay.

Malta needs to uphold its credibility as a global financial centre of excellence, the chamber said. For this purpose, our politicians must at all times be seen to take the higher indisputable ground against factual or apparent dubious practices which fuel unnecessary suspicions.

The chamber reiterates what it declared last December that “It is the politicians’ responsibility to lead by example and ensure that citizens and taxpayers are given full satisfaction through the judicious use of the resources by them contributed.”

If Malta wants to sustain its positive trend in economic growth and stability, good governance is not an option - it is a must, the chamber said.