The revelation that Environment Minister’s Jose Herrera’s youngest daughter has been given a public role has revived the age-old argument of nepotism.

Herrera’s daughter has been appointed Commissioner for Justice, which effectively means that she hears appeals on parking tickets issued by wardens. Doesn’t sound that big a job, right? Well, the issue here is not really about the nature of the job, nor the woman’s qualifications, but rather about the way in which such jobs are handed out.

Many argued that Herrera, who graduated in law just last November and obtained her warrant in February of this year, does not have the required experience. But as Justice Minister Owen Bonnici pointed out, there are no real requirements for the post – candidates are not even required to have a lawyer’s warrant. So one cannot say that she lacked the necessary qualifications.

The problem here is that Dr Herrera was not chosen after some transparent public call for applications but was handpicked by the minster. Bonnici made it clear that he did not change the rules, and appointments to this particular post were always the prerogative of the justice minister.

But if this is the case, then the minister should definitely not have chosen his cabinet colleague’s daughter for the post, because it could not possibly look like anything else but nepotism.

On the other hand, the Environment Minister’s argument that his daughter’s role has nothing to do with his own ministry is plain silly.

Let us be clear: we do not believe that people, especially those who are vastly qualified, should be barred from certain public posts just because their father or mother (or should we say parent) are a government minister or parliamentary secretary. Not at all. Skills should never go to waste.

But it is very imperative that all applicants, including, if not especially so, relatives of politicians and other prominent persons go through transparent and fair selection processes. There will undoubtedly be times when the most qualified person happens to be some minister’s daughter, and that is fine. Yes, there will still be those who cry nepotism, but at least the process would have been an open and honest one.

This should obviously not only apply for the post of Commissioner for Justice but for all other public posts. Ministers should only have the prerogative when it comes to some position of trust, which is understandable. But public posts have to be filled in by public calls, not by the minister’s preference.

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat had acknowledged, during the last election campaign, that the Labour government had failed in the area of meritocracy and transparency. Well, it is never too late to change. One of the ways in which his government can redeem itself is by changing the rules and making sure all citizens have a fair chance of making it.

Politicians’ relatives should play on the same level as others, and only get the job if they are the most qualified and suitable candidates for the post.