Retired judge and newly sworn in Ombudsman Joseph Zammit McKeon has pledged to his best in his new role.

In comments to The Malta Independent after his swearing in at the Presidential Palace at San Anton Gardens in Balzan, Zammit McKeon thanked the work of his predecessors Anthony C. Mifsud, retired Chief Justice Joseph Said Pullicino and Joe Sammut.

Asked how he intends to continue Mifsud’s work, he said that everyone has their way of working, adding that his style will “probably be different” to that of his predecessors.

“Everyone brings their own experience from their life journey into their role,” he said.

“My commitment is that I shall do my best, according to the best of my abilities, to do my job well, as the law says, as justice requires, and as is expected from the Ombudsman,” he added.

Zammit McKeon said that the role of the Ombudsman is a constitutional one and is therefore very significant.

“Now as we say the proof of the cake is always in the eating.  I will do my best, I hope I have support and that my work will show,” he added.

Asked about the fact that Parliament ignored all 35 of the reports tabled by the Ombudsman between 2020 and 2022, Zammit McKeon said that he won’t get into that and that this is a “fresh chapter.”

He said he still had to familiarise himself with the details of what happened in the past, and was only going to go and meet his staff for the first time later in the day.

He said that it’s not a question of overturning a stand on the matter, but one of making people conscious of the importance of the Ombudsman’s role for the citizen.

Zammit Mckeon took the oath of office as Ombudsman during a ceremony presided by President of Malta George Vella earlier in the day.

President Vella said that, as we all have been able to see over the years, since the Ombudsman’s law entered into force in 1995, this office received a considerable number of requests for investigations from the public.

“This shows that the general people trust in this institution, and regard it as an almost automatic means of remedy where and when there is a suspect of unjust decisions and/or misinterpretation of the law. This same trust must be further strengthened by the duties carried out by the Ombudsman, which should continue to be performed with integrity and professionalism, without any favouritism or imbalance,” the President stated.

In his speech, President Vella noted that through the creation of several Ombudsmen for specific functions, the work of this office continued to grow and expand in crucial areas such as health, environment and planning, and education. The President said that the Office of the Ombudsman needs to evolve hand in hand, with some flexibility, with the new challenges that arise, while fully adhering to the principles and values underlying it. He added that “this balance is required for good governance, that reaches everyone. Often, bold decisions must be made, which will not always be liked by everyone.”

“I hope that, under your leadership Mr Ombudsman, your office will protect those who, for one reason or another, have no tools, faculty or even the strength to fight and overcome injustices,” concluded the President.

Present for the oath of office ceremony were Prime Minister Robert Abela, Leader of the Opposition Bernard Grech, and Speaker of the House of Representatives Anġlu Farrugia.