In the previous legislature, parliamentary statements were a rare bird and then only reserved to the prime minister, who would turn them into a solemn State occasion usually after a European Council.

In this legislature, we are now having statements by anybody and everybody and for the flimsiest of reasons.

It is, of course, perfectly in order and within the new government’s rights, for this change to be effected.

However, one cannot but point out some flaws that have emerged in the hope they can be corrected.

First of all, the statements are not being read out but made ‘ex tempore’, with the ministers adlibbing just as if they were making a speech to the House.

This does rather take the whole thing down a notch or two. For the essence of a statement is that it is a carefully thought out exposition to the House. And that means, for us mortals, a prepared speech from a script.

A speech that is prepared is one about which careful preparation has been extended. In that way, all aspects of the subject under discussion are included and the speech clears up if possible the questions before they arise.

Then too the subject matter must be of some importance. The fact that a minister has just taken part in an international meeting in itself does not justify making a statement to the House – as otherwise with ministers flying here, there and everywhere, we will end up having statements every day.

Also, statements must not be a rehashing of what has already been said and divulged in the innumerable press statements issued by DOI. Just to make a statement in which you repeat what had already been said outside the House is a waste of time for the orator and also for those who are listening. Or do ministers think that people in this day and age do not follow what is happening in the news?

Lastly, ministers must be prepared for the questions he will be asked. That is why the minister’s staff exists for: To prepare their boss for any insidious questions he may be asked. Here in Malta, ministers have a tendency to adlib their way through sticky questions (and in some cases to go into attack when they do not have a ready answer). Again, being unprepared for questions one should have foreseen will be asked shows shoddy preparation by the minister and his staff.

The minister’s staff should also make it a point to alert the newsrooms that the minister will be making a statement in the House. Many newsrooms are covering Parliament with a skeleton staff and, unless forewarned, such statements may well be lost in the huge vacuum that is public indifference. Unfortunately, there have been more than one examples of this in the recent past.

To make a statement just because you are a minister and the prime minister has been making statements is a very poor approach to governing a country.