L-aċċess għall-informazzjoni hu fundamentali fi stat demokratiku

Delegazzjoni ta’ Alternattiva Demokratika immexxija miċ-Chairperson tal-partit Carmel Cacopardo u magħmula ukoll minn Mario Mallia (Deputat Chairperson), Ralph Cassar (Segretarju Ġenerali) u Anna Azzopardi (Deputat Segretarju Ġenerali) għamlet żjara ta’ kortesija lill-Ombudsman s-Sur Anthony Mifsud. L-Ombudsman kien akkumpanjat mill-Kummissarji għall-Ippjanar u Ambjent (Perit Alan Saliba), Edukazzjoni (is-Sur Charles Caruana Carabez) u s-Saħħa (is-Sur Charles Messina).

Ir-rapport annwali li l-Ombudsman għadu kif ippubblika huwa wieħed inkwetanti ħafna għax juri b’mod mill-iktar ċar li s-sisien tal-kontabilità tal-klassi politika m’humiex b’saħħithom. Dan, qal Carmel Cacopardo, ġie diskuss mal-Ombudsman u l-Kummissarji fl-Uffiċċju tiegħu meta kien diskuss il-kontenut tar-rapport annwali tal-Ombudsman għas-sena 2017. Il-pajjiż, qal Cacopardo, kien ixxukkjat li biex jiftaħ l-investigazzjoni dwar l-allegati irregolaritajiet tal-ħatriet fit-tmexxija tal-Armata l-Ombudsman mhux biss kellu jmur il-Qorti imma kellu ukoll joqgħod jistenna li jinqata’ l-appell. Dan, żied jgħid Cacopardo hu wieħed mill-ikbar ostakli li nħolqu f’pajjiżna għat-tħaddim tal-kontabilità tal-klassi politika. Meta dawn l-ostakli jsiru minn membri tal-Kabinett ma jagħtux stampa tajba tal-qagħda demokratika tal-pajjiż. Għax id-demokrazija mhix biss id-dritt li nivvutaw imma ukoll kemm kull wieħed u waħda minna huwa lest biex ibaxxi rasu bla kundizzjonijiet għall-għodda tal-kontabilità.

L-aċċess għall-informazzjoni hu fundamentali fi stat demokratiku. Kull ostaklu għal dan l-aċċess hu għaldaqstant delitt kontra d-demokrazija, kompla Cacopardo.

Ir-rapport tal-Ombudsman jipponta lejn żewġ materji serji:

  1. In-nuqqas tad-Dipartimenti u Ministeri flimkien mal-awtoritajiet li jipprovdu l-informazzjoni mitluba għall-investigazzjonijiet bil-konsegwenza li ċittadini li jkunu qed ifittxu rimedju jkollhom idumu ħafna iktar milli meħtieġ;
  2. In-non-disclosure clauses fil-ftehimiet diversi tal-Gvern ma’ entitajiet differenti li qed iwassal biex servizzi essenzjali bħall-enerġija u s-saħħa għax immexxija fuq linji kummerċjali jsostnu li m’għandhom l-ebda obbligu ta’ kontabilità għajr għall-kundizzjonijiet kuntrattwali.

Hemm il-periklu, jwissina l-Ombudsman, li r-rifjut tal-aċċess għall-informazzjoni jew ir-riluttanza li din titħalla tkun żvelata ssir stil tat-tmexxija tal-pajjiż. (“Outright refusal or extreme reluctance to disclose information can be said to have become a style of government that is seriously denting the openness and transparency of the public administration.” – Paġna 12 tar-rapport.)

Huwa obbligu tagħna lkoll li dan ma nħalluhx isir, temm jgħid Carmel Cacopardo.

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Access to information is fundamental in a democratic state

A delegation from Alternattiva Demokratika led by party Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo and made up of Mario Mallia (Deputy Chairperson), Ralph Cassar (Secretary General) and Anna Azzopardi (Deputy Secretary General) made a courtesy visit to Ombudsman Anthony Mifsud. The Ombudsman was accompanied by Commissioners for Planning and the Environment (Architect Alan Saliba), Education (Mr Charles Caruana Carabez) and Health (Mr Charles Messina).

The annual report the Ombudsman has just published makes for a very worrying read because it demonstrates clearly that the political class’s understanding of the fundamentals of accountability are incredibly weak. We discussed the contents of annual report of the Ombudsman for the year 2017, said Carmel Cacopardo. The country, said Cacopardo, was shocked that the Ombudsman needed to go to Court and wait for the Court’s decision on appeal merely to open an investigation on alleged irregularities in the management of appointments and promotions in the Armed Forces. This, he added Cacopardo is one of the country’s biggest obstacles which are being created by the political class to thwart accountability mechanisms. The fact that these obstacles are created by members of the Cabinet of Ministers does not bode well for democratic accountability in this country. Democracy is not only the right to vote but the acceptance that mechanisms of accountability are respected and not thwarted.

Access to information is fundamental in a democratic state. Any obstacle to this access is therefore a crime against democracy, said Cacopardo.

The Ombudsman’s report points to two serious issues:

  1. The lack of will of Departments, Ministries and the authorities to provide the information requested with the consequence that investigations are slowed down and citizens seeking redress have to wait much longer than necessary;
  2. Non disclosure clauses in the various agreements with different government entities through which essential public services such as energy and health are run on commercial lines leading to claims that there is no obligation to be accountable and provide information other than that stipulated in contracts.

The Ombudsman makes a very strong point that the refusal of access to information or reluctance to allow disclosure is becoming the country’s leadership style. (“Outright refusal or extreme reluctance to disclose information can be said to have become a style of government that is seriously denting the openness and transparency of the public administration.” – Ombudsman 2017 Report page 12.)

It is our duty not to let this happen, concluded Carmel Cacopardo

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