Parliament does not operate as it should and the institution lacks seriousness, Opposition Whip Robert Cutajar said.

Speaking to The Malta Independent on Sunday, Cutajar said that the House of Representatives' standing orders are antiquated and need to be updated. He said that he has been pushing for reforms for the past four to five years, and has sent several letters to successive Leaders of the House requesting changes.  

Cutajar said that, although the Maltese Parliament is modelled on the Parliament of the United Kingdom, there are certain elements of the latter that the Maltese Parliament has failed to incorporate, such as the weekly Prime Minister's Question Time during which the head of government answers questions from the MPs.

Cutajar, who two weeks ago announced that he will not be seeking re-election, said that thousands of parliamentary questions remain unanswered by ministers in the current legislature. Moreover, the opposition has more than 15 Private Member's Bills pending. Cutajar criticised the fact that the opposition is only allowed to present such bills twice a year.

He also said that some parliamentary committees go months without meeting, which he said is unacceptable. In addition, he accused the government of not having a serious legislative agenda, pointing out that parliamentary sittings sometimes end an hour early while opposition proposals remain unaddressed.

According to Cutajar, the government talks about reform but fails to act. He said that the government does not want to update parliamentary rules because it believes that it will remain in power indefinitely.

The future of the Nationalist Party

Moving on to the topic of the future of the Nationalist Party, Cutajar said that he strongly backs the current leadership and he believes the party is ready to govern again. He expressed confidence that Alex Borg can lead the party to government, although he acknowledged that more work still needs to be done.

"Today, the Nationalist Party is in a position where it is ready as a government in waiting," Cutajar said.

Cutajar, who said loyalty to the party and its leader was the main ingredient of his life in politics, framed the Nationalists' years in opposition as part of a normal political cycle. The PN spent almost 25 years in government before moving into opposition. Cutajar said that internal elections and leadership changes brought challenges but also renewal to the party.

Moreover, he emphasised the PN's stance on the protection of life to showcase how the party has remained consistent despite leadership changes. He said that the PN consistently defended the value of life from conception to natural death. Cutajar described this as his biggest satisfaction in Parliament.

The previous Nationalist government's policies laid the groundwork for key economic sectors, Cutajar said. He argued that several sectors credited to the current government, such as pharmaceuticals and gaming, actually originated under the PN administration.

Cutajar's political career

When asked whether he regrets never making it to government as an MP, Cutajar said he has "no regrets" about never serving as a minister. He argued that politicians can serve the public both in government and in opposition. He then pointed towards legislative initiatives that he pushed in opposition, such as the Private Member's Bill on healthy lifestyles and obesity, and a proposal on transparency in the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA). These initiatives, he said, show that he remained active despite being in opposition.

"If you enter politics to serve, you can do good either in government or in opposition," Cutajar said.

Cutajar also highlighted several projects from his time as mayor of Mellieħa that he says form part of his legacy. Projects mentioned include Dar il-Madonna tal-Mellieħa, a residential home which incorporates a day centre and a night shelter, and Selmun Family Park, a public recreational park with picnic areas, cycling routes, an outdoor gym and athletics track. Other projects include turning Mellieħa Square into the locality's first pedestrian zone, and infrastructure upgrades including kilometres of roads and improved social services access for residents. He also claimed a key role in obtaining blue flag status for Għadira Bay.

Cutajar also emphasised several personal milestones. He said he was the first and only MP from Mellieħa representing the Nationalist Party. He also claimed he received the highest number of votes ever recorded by a councillor in Mellieħa since local councils were introduced. He argued that strong electoral support in Mellieħa reflected public recognition of his commitment to the locality.  

When asked about the origins of his political career, Cutajar said he became involved in politics at around age 16. He began by helping with activities of the Nationalist Party. He identified three key figures who influenced him, namely former Mellieħa mayor Joe Borg, who encouraged his first involvement in politics; former PN MP Carm Lino Spiteri, whose electoral campaign he helped in the late 1980s; and former Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, who Cutajar described as his biggest influence who helped shape his approach to politics.

Cutajar spent eight years in the Mellieħa local council, serving three years as vice-mayor and five years as mayor. He described this period as the most rewarding years of his political career.

After serving as mayor, Cutajar was elected Parliament in 2013. He said that upon election not much surprised him about national politics, because he had already been working behind the scenes for several years before becoming an MP.  

Cutajar announced his decision not to re-contest the general election during a party event in his hometown of Mellieħa - he said he wanted to end his political career where it began. Cutajar said stepping away from politics was a difficult decision after more than half his life in the political arena - he has spent around 35 years involved in politics.

"It was a difficult decision," Cutajar said. "Politics is a part of my life."

Cutajar said that an injury contributed to the decision. He suffered a serious injury around 13 months ago which affected his mobility and required surgery. This limited his ability to carry out political activities such as meeting constituents and home visits. Furthermore, he recently started a new job that requires extensive travel abroad, and this made it hard to continue balancing political responsibilities. Although PN leader Alex Borg asked him to reconsider his decision, Cutajar said it was his time to quit politics but that he will still support the party and remain active until the next general election, where he would like to see Borg become Prime Minister.

When asked what comes next for him, Cutajar said that he is currently employed in the private sector where he works with a company that organises summits and expos both locally and internationally. The role involves liaising with local and international entities participating in those events, and working with international partners and stakeholders. Cutajar said his experience in politics helped develop skills in communication, negotiation and relationship-building. These skills now help him work with the diverse stakeholders that he encounters through his work.