A public conference on the Constitution is being organised by the Today Public Policy Institute, Malta's only independent non-partisan think-tank, is holding a public Conference of the Constitution next Thursday.

The conference follows the publication of the think-tank's own report on constitutional reform, named "A Review of the Constitution of Malta at Fifty: Rectification or Redesign," which was published last September and whose lead authors are TPPI director-general Martin Scicluna and former speaker Michael Frendo.

Dr Frendo will be coordinating next Thursday's conference which will be held at the main hall of the Malta Chamber premises in Valletta between 4pm and 8pm.

TPPI is inviting members of the public, institutional bodies and societies to attend and express their views on this important subject ahead of the Constitutional Convention that has been promised by the government.

The event includes three session discussions: the first focuses on major institutional issues, including constitutional principles, the second on other institutional and political issues, and the third on the conduct of the Constitutional Convention.

"The open discussion under each session constitutes the vital part of the public conference. What will be said here should make a contribution to whatever subsequent discussions come about in the forthcoming Constitutional Convention," Mr Scicluna maintained.

"Indeed, the whole purpose of the conference is to act as a precursor to the Convention on the Constitution to be organised by government and to inform the way in which that very important convention will be organised and run."