Former Prime Minister Alfred Sant's opinion published in The Malta Independent earlier this week should send a strong message to Prime Minister Robert Abela, that his decision not to publish the Cabinet's declaration of assets is wrong.

The Prime Minister has decided to stop publishing them, and in defence of this move last year said that discussions on a new asset declaration system are under way, and that there should be one kind of uniform asset declaration for everyone, in reference to the separate declaration of assets for MPs.

Alfred Sant, however, has said that the Prime Minister's decision not to publish them was a mistake, mentioning a different impact than has been discussed so far. "The latest ministerial resignation has confirmed how wrong is the government's decision to discontinue the annual publication of the detailed returns by ministers and parliamentary secretaries about their income, assets and financial obligations - as used to be done up to some time ago," Sant wrote, in reference to the resignation of Minister Roderick Galdes.

Galdes resigned weeks after being embroiled in a scandal. In recent months, Galdes has been at the centre of media attention amid growing scrutiny over his property portfolio and alleged connections with some of Malta's largest developers. 

Sant went on to write that the explanation that what's needed is for annual returns all to be done, by ministers and 'common' MPs alike, according to the same model, "does not hold water. An MP - unless he/she has been appointed to a major state position - will surely not have the same influence on government decisions as a minister; even less so from the Opposition side." He also writes: "consider what has been happening as a result of the "measure" that is being implemented. Suspicions and allegations, upfront or subterranean, always find swift backing and interest, as well as endorsement. As from when controversies first erupt, ministers under attack find less and less  people willing to trust them and their version of the facts at issue. Politically, government members today are in a much more vulnerable position than when they published their detailed financial reports."

The Prime Minister's decision not to publish the assets of Cabinet members has been blasted by many others also.

The move reduces transparency, and makes many question what ministers have to hide.

The Standards Commissioner, in fact, described it as "a setback for transparency in public life." He said he wrote to the Prime Minister on 6 January to express his concern about these developments and stated that, in effect, ministers would no longer declare their income, and neither would they declare financial investments and bank accounts held by their spouses. Such information was required by the ministerial declaration form, but not the form for MPs, he said.

Being in public life, in the top positions of government, having the power that comes with that and handling the money of the Maltese public, brings with it the need for transparency. It is not optional, it is a must.

Transparency ensures that if those in top positions abuse, they will be caught. In turn, it ensures that those at the top are trusted.

The Prime Minister's decision to stop the publication of Cabinet's asset declarations removes a layer of transparency, and in turn reduces the trust in those in power.