After waiting more than two years, Alternattiva Demokratika The Green Party welcomes the news that Parliament will this evening commence the debate on the Bill dealing with Standards in Public Life. This was stated by Carmel Cacopardo Deputy Chairperson of Alternattiva Demokratika who added that after the Select Committee of the House of Representatives had presented its final report on the subject it was expected that the Government should have dealt with the matter much sooner.
Although the Bill presented is an improvement on the present situation, substantial improvements are still required in the proposals put forward by the Bill. It is in particular essential that regulatory measures dealing with the lobbying of politicians in both formal and informal meetings are introduced. The Bill as presented ignores lobbying completely and does not attempt its regulation.
Cacopardo added that it is now essential that Parliament deals expeditiously with the Bill and approves it (with amendments) as soon as possible. There were many cases and instances during the past two years which could have been investigated had such legislation been in place. It is hence essential that the Bill is improved and approved in the shortest possible time as well as that the Commissioner for Standards in Public Life is appointed as soon as possible. It is to be emphasised that the Bill proposes that the Commissioner for Standards in Public Life not only investigates the conduct of Members of Parliament and Ministers but also the conduct of persons of trust appointed by the administration. These should realise that even they are accountable, concluded Carmel Cacopardo.
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AD tilqa’ d-diskussjoni dwar il-ligi tal-istandards fil-hajja pubblika, issejjah ghar-regolamentazzjoni tal-lobbying
Alternattiva Demokratika tilqa’ b’sodisfazzjon li wara stennija ta’ iktar minn sentejn il-Parlament illum mistenni jiddiskuti l-abbozz ta’ ligi dwar l-iStandards fil-Hajja Pubblika. Dan qalu Carmel Cacopardo, Deputat Chairperson ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika li zied jghid illi wara li l-Kumitat Maghzul tal-Kamra tar-Rapprezentanti nhar l-24 ta’ Marzu 2014 ipprezenta r-rapport finali tieghu dwar is-suggett kien mistenni illi l-Gvern jikkunsidra l-materja hafna qabel illum.
Ghalkemm l-abbozz huwa avvanz fuq il-qaghda li hawn illum, xorta hemm htiega ta’ titjib sostanzjali fil-proposti li fih l-abbozz. Fosthom huwa necessarju li jidhlu ghall-ewwel darba mizuri li jirregolaw il-lobbying illi jsir tal-politici f’laqghat formali u informali. Regolamentazzjoni illi tista’ issir b’diversi modi. Ghax l-abbozz jinjora l-lobbying kompletament u ma jippruvax jirregolah.
Cacopardo kompla jghid li huwa essenzjali li issa l-Parlament ma jkaxkarx saqajh u li l-abbozz ikun approvat b’emendi fl-iqsar zmien possibbli. Kien hemm diversi kazi u cirkustanzi matul dawn l-ahhar sentejn li setghu jkunu investigati kieku ligi ta’ din ix-xorta kienet tezisti. Huwa ghalhekk essenzjali illi l-abbozz ikun imtejjeb u approvat u li f’qasir zmien jinhatar il-Kummissarju ghall-iStandards fil-Hajja Pubblika. Ghandu jkun emfasizzat li l- Kummissarju ghall-iStandards fil-Hajja Pubblika ghandu l-inkarigu li jivestiga mhux biss l-imgieba tal-Membri Parlamentari u l-Ministri imma ukoll, kif jipproponi l-istess abbozz, l-imgieba tal-persuni ta’ fiducja li nhatru mill-amministrazzjoni. Huwa mehtieg li anke dawn jirrealizzaw illi anke huma jehtieg li jaghtu kont ta’ ghemilhom, temm jghid Carmel Cacopardo.
