The Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry has joined a chorus of organisations and constituted bodies requesting the postponement of the final debate and vote in Parliament on the National Commission for Human Rights and Equality Bill.

In a letter addressed to Equality Minister Rosianne Cutajar, the Chamber said that while it supports the principle of the reform, it has concerns over how it is being rushed through Parliament.

“The Malta Chamber fully supports legislation that strengthens the protection of human rights and promotes the principles of equality and non-discrimination. These are fundamental values that should continue to be safeguarded through a robust and well-considered legislative framework,” the Chamber wrote.

“However, we have serious concerns about the expediency of passing the current Bill without the necessary consultation. We believe that legislation of such constitutional and societal significance should be afforded the necessary time for thorough consultation and scrutiny,” it continued.

“Given the broad scope of the proposed legislation, we believe that the Bill merits a meaningful engagement with the social partners and all interested parties,” the Chamber added.

It said that its own preliminary assessment indicates that several provisions of the Bill overlap with already existing legislation.

“It is in this spirit that a more comprehensive consultation process would enable these concerns to be properly addressed, resulting in legislation that is clearer, more coherent and better equipped to achieve its intended objectives while providing the necessary legal certainty and safeguards,” the Chamber said.

The Chamber urged the Government to postpone the final parliamentary debate and vote on the Bill to allow sufficient time for meaningful consultation with the social partners and other stakeholders.