The Justice and Peace Commission has criticised the government's decision to cut the budget for the Standards Commissoner's office for 2023, saying this does not bode well for the principle of good governance.

The Standards Commissioner has been vocal in his criticism of the behaviour of some government members. The position has been left vacant for the past month after George Hyzler was reassigned to serve as Malta's representative on the European Court of Auditors. 

In its reaction to the budget, the commission said that the support in the form of subsidies being provided by the government should not lull us into a false sense of complacency accompanied by a “business-as-usual” attitude.

The commission argued that the following four principles should serve as a “guiding light both in our reading of the 2023 Budget and in our choice of a socio-economic model which results in a more just, sustainable, and reconciled society.”

Preferential option for the poor

The commission stated that despite exceptional inflationary pressures, climate change, and the war, the government remained focused on those worst hit by the cost-of-living crisis. “By shouldering the massive increase in fuel and energy prices, and through the promised implementation of other measures targeting pensioners and persons on low-income, the budget provides immediate relief to those families and businesses who would otherwise be facing untold financial hardship.”

The commission continued on its plea to fight poverty, placing its remark on asylum seekers who are facing poverty and social exclusion from the very start of their life in Malta, yet “the social focus of the Budget, unfortunately, did not extend to these people.” The Commission states that “if we aim to build a society where everyone truly belongs, no one – irrespective of nationality and/or legal status - should be pushed to the periphery of our society and condemned to economic and social vulnerability.”

Care for the environment

Another area that the Commission found that is in urgent need of our attention is environmental protection. “Unfortunately, the 2023 Budget fails to effectively tackle several chronic environmental challenges which are having a crippling impact on our health and quality of life. Whilst the project investment in green open spaces is a positive measure in itself, the Commission questions the need for yet another agency to manage these projects, with the associated overheads and expense in personnel this brings with it.” Also, environmental experts need to be involved at all stages to make sure that this process leads to eco-friendly spaces, not resulting in over-commercialised structures.

“The Budget is short of carrot and stick measures which would encourage people to abandon their private cars in favour of alternative modes of transport,” argued the Commission. Regarding the introduction of a free bus service, “it has still not been accompanied by a necessary change in routes and frequency. Unless the service becomes more efficient and reliable, this important and praise-worthy initiative will have limited success in terms of reducing traffic congestion.”

A remark was also made on energy and water consumption. “Would not some of these resources which are currently being used to subsidise lifestyles, which go over and above what is necessary to have a decent life, be better redirected towards schemes which improve, for example, energy efficiency in our buildings and reduce water-use in this country which is the most water-stressed country in the European Union?”

Participative approach

The Commission referred to Finance Minister Clyde Caruana’s past statement of transitioning away from a construction-centric economic model. “Recently, he again acknowledged that the current economic model, built on the availability of thousands of foreign workers who are willing to accept working conditions deemed unacceptable by locals, is ‘unsustainable.’”

The Commission argued that the 2023 Budget contained “no real fresh ideas and little to no hints of the kind of economic model which would replace the current one. The vision presented by the Finance Minister was rather a continuation of the present model, with all its strengths and weaknesses. The need for a new, long-term development strategy has now been felt for a long time by all stakeholders. However, major questions regarding this as-yet-undefined strategy remain unanswered.”

“Beyond the facile slogans linked to sustainability, what would it look like in reality?”

Good governance

The Commission welcomes the Finance Minister’s recent emphasis on the need to fight tax evasion, apply fiscal discipline, and get value for money for every cent spent. “The government should lead by example and promote a responsible and disciplined use of public funds by seriously curtailing the exorbitant number of direct orders and persons of trust. Such practices not only go against the values of good governance but also help cement the deeply ingrained perception of a system which is not ‘fair’ and which works for some and not for others. Such a perception, which often reflects reality, is deeply damaging to our society as trust is lost, collective participation takes a hit and cynicism sets in.”

The Commission said the government should strengthen (and never undermine) those institutions such as the Ombudsman, the Auditor General and the Commissioner for Standards in Public Life, whose role is to promote the values of transparency, accountability and good governance.

In this regard, the Commission is concerned about the 2023 Budget allocation for the office of the Commissioner for Standards in Public Life. “When factoring in the projected inflation, the budgetary allocation for this important office has been slashed by nearly 50% when compared to the revised estimate for 2022. Such a decision, coupled with the unacceptable delay in putting forward suitable candidates for this role, does not augur well for the principle of good governance, without which the common good of society will always play second fiddle to the interests of the privileged few.”

“The way limited resources are allocated is, in fact, always very indicative of our priorities and values.” The Commission invites the government to take on board these four guiding principles in its style of government and its decision-making process.