Prime Minister Robert Abela can always claim that his decision to send George Hyzler to be Malta’s representative on the European Court of Auditors is meant to be a promotion. After all, the post is prestigious and carries a lucrative package with it.

But one cannot help thinking that the reason behind the move is not to show appreciation, but to remove Hyzler from a position from which – simply because he is doing his duty well – he is causing trouble to the government.

For the last three years, Hyzler has carried out his responsibilities as Standards Commissioner diligently and judiciously. Where there was something wrong, he pointed it out. Where a complaint was frivolous, he said so.

His powers are limited, as his reports have to overcome the hurdle of a parliamentary committee that is not independent, as the commissioner is. Too often, Hyzler’s rulings found a brick wall as the government’s members on the committee, and sometimes the Speaker as well, came to the rescue of MPs who were found to have breached ethical standards with their behaviour. This is why the commissioner must be given more power. It does not make sense that the reports drawn up by the commissioner are submitted to a committee made up of MPs, whose only interest is to defend their colleagues who come under the commissioner’s microscope.

All in all, one must say that Hyzler’s office is one of Malta’s institutions that functions properly. It is fast, meticulous and takes decisions according to the actions, not on who is involved.

Needless to say, some of his findings have – rightly so – embarrassed the government. For one thing, former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat was found to have breached ethics on four occasions, although he was ultimately never sanctioned as he had already resigned. Ministers Carmelo Abela and Justyne Caruana were both found to have breached ethics too, as was parliamentary secretary Rosianne Cutajar.

Each time, the end-result was bad publicity for the government, which had to seek ways to contain the fall-out.

So when over the weekend it was reported that Prime Minister Abela had informed the parliamentary group that he was planning to propose Hyzler to replace Leo Brincat when the latter’s term on the European Court of Auditors expires in September, it was easy to think that the idea behind this is for Abela to get rid of Hyzler.

Granted, Hyzler’s appointment is for five years and it is non-renewable. But if he were to be sent to the European Court of Auditors, his tenure as Standards Commissioner would be cut short by more than a year. Given his track record, Labour could breathe easier.

Whether this will ultimately happen remains to be seen. Hyzler has chosen not to comment publicly on the news, and one has to see whether he will accept. There is no doubt that, if this idea were to come to be, Hyzler has all the necessary pre-requisites to fill up the post. But this will inevitably mean that Malta will need to have a new Standards Commissioner earlier than anticipated.

So far, no names have been mentioned as possible substitutes to Hyzler. And here is where the problem lies. If he does go ahead with the plan, for Abela to be seen as wanting continuity to Hyzler’s work, he must appoint someone who is cut from the same cloth – someone whose integrity is not questionable, and someone who will continue looking at things as they really are.

Going for someone who will be another pawn on the government’s chessboard will simply not work.