Partit Demokratiku today reiterated its call for good governance as it is only its adoption that ensures that a government’s true priority is Malta’s national interests. 

In a statement, PD referred to Minister Edward Scicluna stating that ‘he has full faith in the institutions’ and yet ‘he wants to strengthen them’ by ‘making them look transparent’.  ‘We must give regulators time to do their work’ he remarks. All regulators must be truly independent and autonomous and free from all types of political interference to execute their responsibilities  timely and effectively.

These checks and balances are not being kept and recent amendments passed through Parliament, as in the case of MFSA and the 4 th Money Laundering Directive do not augur well as they further strengthen the hidden political agenda of this government which wants to control everything, PD said.

PD also noted the recent surge whereby the Nationalist Party and the government trade bullets regarding direct orders, clientelism, and positions of trust. Once again, Partit Demokratiku also notes that once both the PN and the PL have admitted to this problem, and once it has been shown that both practice these abuses to maintain power, then an opportunity is presenting itself for all parties in parliament to come together, without pointing fingers, and agree on the necessary solutions to these age old problems.

The use of discretionary powers runs contrary to the Rule of Law, as it places opinion before regulated constraints. Partit Demokratiku has for this reason and many others called many times for the appointment of the Commissioner of Standards of Public Life, put into force ignored clauses 21-35 of the Public Administration Act and that judiciary, police commissioner and regulators should not be appointed by Prime Minister’s discretion.

Partit Demokratiku said it believes that seeking solutions for these ills afflicting Malta need not be partisan. There is no need to see who started it, or point fingers as regards who practiced more of the same. Partit Demokratiku calls for political parties to seek expertise inside and outside of Parliament, with the aim of bringing an end to the abuse of democracy. These will ensure true judicial independence, a stronger police force, a meritocratic civil service and a stronger, fairer and more successful Malta for all.