This week, Jon Mallia invited Minister Byron Camilleri and the undersigned for a debate about matters of Home Affairs and the current law and order situation in Malta. The debate would have covered topics such as national security, the police force, safety in our streets, our national prisons, the various scandals that have plagued our current affairs over the past years, and many other topics of interest to our citizens.

I believe that the Maltese public has every right to know what the minister and I think about all of these topics, and what our solution for each challenge is. On behalf of the Nationalist Party, which aspires to be an alternative government, I have spoken at length about these subjects and I have outlined our policies and solutions that will bring the necessary changes to some of the deadlock situations we have found ourselves in of late.

While I accepted Mr Mallia's invitation, and went to the debate as planned, Minister Camilleri decided to give it a miss. In fact, he never showed up, and his seat had to be removed!

Sadly, this is just the latest in the long series of episodes which reveal the inadequacy of this government to stand up to be counted. In fact, Minister Camilleri's escape from this opportunity to voice his thoughts on this public platform is very symptomatic of his failed politics.

Minister Camilleri cannot continue to ignore the issues, like he ignored Jon Mallia's invitation. He cannot expect that things will magically fall in place. He is the Minister for Home Affairs, and he is obliged to drive the necessary changes the country desperately needs for the better.

Members of the public have all the right to know where the minister stands on the increasing problem of lack of discipline in general in our streets and elsewhere. What does the minister think about certain episodes which cast a long shadow on the country's security?

What does the minister think of the lack of respect, which is being shown at all authorities, but most significantly the Police Corps? What did he do, in actual measurable terms in the wake of the incidents that took place in Hamrun a few weeks ago?

Speaking of the Police Corps, how does the minister intend to breathe new life in this demotivated institution? What does the minister plan to do in order to grow the public's trust in the overworked and overstretched police force?

The police corps lacks the necessary resources to meet the challenges of our time, and this we have said repeatedly. Unfortunately, our concerns are consistently being ignored.

We have yet to hear, for example, how the minister or his commissioner intends to increase the number of officers in the corps to relieve them from unfair and undue pressure.

With minister Camilleri hiding from scrutiny, we will never know what the government intends to do to be in a position to reopen police stations that have been closed for extended periods. We reiterate that police stations should be permanent fixtures within our communities, offering citizens support and security in their everyday lives.

We will also never know minister Camilleri's plans to prioritise further training for our officers. The challenges facing police forces today are vastly different from those of 10 or 20 years ago. As societies evolve, so do the challenges they present. Our police officers deserve the best training and preparation to face these changing landscapes with dignity and fairness.

While our overworked and overstretched officers are doing their best to serve their communities to the best of their capabilities, Minister Camilleri lacks the basic decorum of showing up! The disrespect is unacceptable.

Unfortunately, Minister Camilleri's ineffectiveness is resulting in untold hardships in his entire Ministry.

The minister cannot hide any longer. The country needs a minister who can stand up to be counted, and provide the answer to the hard questions, which are not planted by his lackies. Otherwise, the situation will continue to deteriorate beyond repair.

Dr Darren Carabott is the Opposition's Shadow Minister for Home Affairs, Security and Reforms, and President of the Public Accounts Committee.