The Nationalist Party has criticised the setting up of the Identity Malta agency, which will bring several entities, including the public and lands registries and the ID and passport office, under one roof.

The Malta Independent last week reported that this agency had been set up without consultation with the notaries.

In its statement, the PN said that the government had kept this new agency under wraps, and the legal notice which set it up gave the agency access to an “exaggerated” amount of information and private data.

Party spokesman on Home Affairs Jason Azzopardi said that the Prime Minister ordered the setting up of Identity Malta, which will administer all-information related to the Passport Office, the ID department, the Public Register, the Lands Register and work permits, among others.  

Dr Azzopardi said that the setting up of the new agency, which falls under the responsibility of the Home Affairs Ministry, was not announced to the press. The workers involved were only told about this at the last minute, and were told to choose if they wanted to remain employed with the public sector or not.

This way of governing is “dangerous” and makes a vast amount of personal data available to Manuel Mallia’s ministry, the PN said. If there are no clear safeguards, the system could be abused.

The PN said it is asking a number of questions on the issue. Why did the government not announce that it was setting up this new agency? What consultation was carried out? Why where the notaries, and the related workers, not informed? What safeguards were there to prevent the abuse of personal data? Is it true that the agency’s chairman is a former PL candidate?

The government had promised to be transparent and humble, as if it had won the election by just one vote, but in reality it believes that it can steamroll over everyone, Dr Azzopardi said.

This portal sent questions to the Home Affairs ministry last week but, to date they remain unanswered.

But the government did reply to the PN statement.

It said that Dr Azzopardi was not following what the Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister had been saying for months – that such an agency will be set up. 

He was so intent on trying to pick on the government that he was not on the ball.

Both Dr Muscat and Dr Mallia had been saying for months that an agency will be set up to take care of citizenship and visa matters, among other things.

Dr Azzopardi seems to think that this government does not implement what it says.

Goverment's reaction

In reaction, the Home Affairs Ministry said the Opposition was not paying attention to what has been said over and over again.

The Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister have for months been publicly announcing the setting up of this agency by the end of the year. However, PN spokesperson Jason Azzopardi was too focused on attacking the government.

It seems Dr Azzopardi believes the government still uses the tactics of the previous administration, which he formed part of. Yet the government talks and implements, it said.

The great inefficiency in the management of ID and passport issues is unacceptable and the creation of an agency will help achieve results. 

 See The Malta Independent’s original report here;

http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2013-09-19/news/notaries-not-consulted-on-new-agency-bringing-land-public-registries-together-2651881472/