The PN on Thursday put forth a proposal and motion presented in a letter to the Speaker of the House and Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne to establish a Permanent Committee for Justice, with the chairperson to be nominated by the Opposition Leader.

PN MP Karol Aquilina said that the situation in the justice system has, in the past years, not gone for the better, but rather for the worse.

Aquilina said that there were many public comments made with regards to the justice system, including that by the Chief Justice who described the situation as an ‘emergency’ to be addressed as soon as possible, as the system was on the verge of collapse.

He said that the court in Gozo is overwhelmed and there is not enough people. Aquilina said that each judge and magistrate should have their own team of experts to assist them, yet now, they have to borrow resources from each other, which leads to delays in giving out sentences.

Aquilina said that the PN had already proposed a Parliamentary Committee for Justice last year, yet this was ignored by government.

“Malta is one of the few countries which does not have a Committee for Justice, like other countries do,” Aquilina said, listing the UK, France, Ireland, Spain, Denmark as well as the European Union as examples.

Members of the Permanent Committee for Justice would consist of not more than seven members, with a quorum of four members. The members would be chosen proportionally according to the number of members of Government and Opposition, with four members of government, and three of the Opposition, Aquilina said.

The chairperson, being a member of the Opposition, would be nominated by the Opposition Leader, as is done in the Public Accounts Committee and without a casting vote.

Its functions would include any question which is related to justice, including constitutional affairs, rule of law, human rights and fundamental liberties, as well as any other matter which is referred by the House or any other Committee in the House.

The Committee should also, on its own initiative, consider all decisions, recommendations or reports locally published, or published by European institutions, or by international organisations which could impact justice in Malta.

Aquilina said that the Committee must consider each material, report, decision or recommendation which is referred to it by the House or by other Committees.

The Committee would also summon people (excluding the Chief Justice, judges and magistrates) to appear before the committee to give an account of their work and responsibilities in the justice system.

It would also discuss and analyse the impact of government and EU decisions in the justice sector. The Committee would examine, discuss and report to the House on each report, strategic plan, policy, document and recommendations related to sectors which fall under the committee, and that these can also be made by any official, Commissioner, Commission, board, entity, authority, agency, committee or legal organ, or else by any person, association of persons or legal entity.

Aquilina said that its final function would be to analyse, discuss and make recommendations on sentences which are tabled in Parliament, as there are many court sentences tabled where there would be recommendations by the judiciary on changes to laws, which Parliament “very rarely proposes changes in the law” with regards to this.

PN MP Robert Cutajar said that last year, the PN wrote to the Leader of the House to raise the standards and work in Parliament so that members are able to better represent the people who elected them, and till today, this was ignored.

He also said that the PN being allocated two motions per year is not acceptable, and that reports by the Ombudsman must also be discussed in Parliament.

Cutajar also said that similarly to the House of Commons in the UK, the Maltese Parliament should also dedicate the parliamentary question portion exclusively for questions to the Prime Minister every Wednesday plenary sitting.

“On behalf of the PN we appeal to Fearne that as soon as possible, we improve how Parliament operates and look at today’s Standing Orders, for Parliament to operate for today’s world,” Cutajar said, adding that government seems to be too “comfortable” and accused several ministers from escaping parliamentary questions.

“We feel that the situation is so bad that we need a justice dedicated committee. We want to do this with agreement, and we wish for government to seriously consider this, as after two years of this legislature, it is time to work on this committee,” Aquilina said.