A delegation from Alternattiva Demokratika, led by Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo today met the Commissioner for Standards in Public Life Dr George Hyzler to discuss the issue of the lack of regulation of lobbying.

The report of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Standards in Public Life dated 24th March 2014 had for some inexplicable reason omitted all references to the need to regulate lobbying. This reluctance was also evident in the debate on the draft legislation, as government and opposition could not arrive at any agreement as to how to regulate lobbying. As a result of this reluctance it was only in the final minutes of the Parliamentary debate that the regulation of lobbying made it to the responsibilities of the Commissioner of Standards in Public Life who is expected to “identify those activities which are to be considered as lobbying activities, to issue guidelines for those activities and to make such recommendations as he deems appropriate in respect of the regulation of such activities.” (article 11 (1)(f) of the Standards in Public Life Act).

To date there is no indication that currently any initiative on lobbying regulation is in the pipeline. It is for this reason that Alternattiva Demokratika has requested a meeting with the Commissioner for Standards in Public Life Dr George Hyzler.

Applying transparency to lobbying is the basic antidote needed. Lobbying, if done properly and above board, should not lead to bad governance. It is perfectly legitimate for any citizen, group of citizens, corporations or even NGOs to seek to influence decision-taking. It is done continuously and involves the communication of views and information to legislators and administrators by those who have an interest in informing them of the impacts of the decisions under consideration.

It is perfectly legitimate that individuals, acting on their own behalf or else acting on behalf of third parties, should seek to ensure that decision-takers are well informed before taking the required decisions. However, lobbying should not be the process through which the decision-takers make way for the representatives of corporations to take their place.

Lobbying requires a considerable dose of transparency: it needs to be unchained from the shackles of secrecy. In other jurisdictions this is done through actively disclosing information on lobbying activities, thereby placing them under the spotlight of public opinion. The timely publication of minutes, as well as documents and studies relative to meetings held by holders of political office, is essential. The public has a right to know who is seeking to influence the decision-taking process. This helps ensure that lobbying is not used as a tool to secretly derail or deflect the democratic process leading to political decisions.

In addition, it is essential to issue guidelines on and regulate “revolving door” recruitment of former holders of political office in the corporate world and vice-versa. It is imperative that the Commissioner for Standards in Public Life sets the ball rolling without any further delay. It is essential that lobbying is regulated in order to avoid the hijacking of the democratic process.

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Il-lobbying f’Malta għadu mhux regolat

Delegazzjoni minn Alternattiva Demokratika, immexxija miċ- Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo illum iltaqgħet mal-Kummissarju għall-Istandards fil-Ħajja Pubblika Dr George Hyzler biex tiddiskuti miegħu il-fatt li l-lobbying f’Malta għadu mhux regolat.

Ir-rapport tal-Kumitat Magħżul tal-Parlament dwar l-Istandards fil-Ħajja Pubblika datat 24 ta’ Marzu 2014, għal xi raġuni li qatt ma ġiet spjegata kien ħalla barra kull referenza dwar il-ħtieġa li l-lobbying ikun irregolat. Dan it-tkaxkir tas-saqajn kien evidenti ukoll fid-dibattitu dwar l-abbozz ta’ liġi għax il-gvern u l-oppożizzjoini ma qablux dwar kif għandu jkun regolat il-lobbying. Bħala riżultat ta’ dan kien biss fl-aħħar minuti tad-dibattitu Parlamentari li r-regolamentazzjoni tal-lobbying ġie inkluż mar-responsabbilitajiet tal-Kummissarju dwar l-Istandards fil-Ħajja Pubblika li hu mistenni li  “jidentifika dawk l-attivitajiet illi għandhom jitqiesu bħala attivitajiet ta’ lobbying, li joħrog regoli ta’ gwida dwar dawk l-attivitajiet u jagħmel dawk ir-rakkomandazzjonijiet li jidhirlu li jkunu xierqa dwar ir-regolamentazzjoni ta’ dawk l-attivitajiet;.” (artiklu 11 (1)(f) tal-Att dwar l-Istandards fil-Ħajja Pubblika).

Sal-lum ma hemm l-ebda indikazzjoni li qed tittieħed xi inizzjattiva biex il-lobbying ikun regolat. Huwa għal din ir-raġuni li Alternattiva Demokratika tablet laqgħa mal-Kummissarju dwar l-Istandards fil-Ħajja Pubblika Dr George Hyzler.

Ir-rimedju bażiku kontra l-impatti negattivi tal-lobbying hi t-trasparenza. Il-lobbying, kemm-il darba jsir sewwa u b’mod etiku m’għandux iwassal għal governanza ħażina. Għax huwa perfettament leġittimu li ċittadin, gruppi ta’ ċittadini, kumpaniji u anke għaqdiet mhux governattivi jfittxu li jinfluwenzaw it-teħid tad-deċiżjonijiet. Dan isir il-ħin kollu u jinvolvi l-komunikazzjoni ta’ informazzjoni u opinjonijiet jew veduti lill-leġiżlaturi u lil dawk li jamministraw minn kull min għandu kwalunkwè xorta ta’ interess.

Dan hu perfettament leġittimu għax iżomm lil min jieħu d-deċiżjonijiet infurmat bl-impatti ta’ dak li jkun qiegħed ikun ikkunsidrat. Imma huwa importanti li dan il-lobbying ma jkunx trasformat fi proċess li bħala riżultat tiegħu il-politiku jagħmel il-wisa’ u d-deċiżjonijiet fil-fatt jeħodhom ħaddieħor mid-dinja tal-business.

Il-lobbying jirrikjedi ammont konsiderevoli ta’ transpareza: hu essenzjali li jkun sganċjat mis-segretezza jew kunfidenzjalità artifiċjali. Fejn il-lobbying hu regolat dan isir billi l-laqgħat jew attivitajiet oħra li jservu għal-lobbying ikunu dikjarati pubblikament biex b’hekk ikun possibli li jsir skrutinju mill-opinjoni pubblika. Il-minuti ta’ dan it-tip ta’ laqgħat ikunu pubbliċi kif għandu jkun ukoll kull dokument u studju assoċjat. Għandna d-dritt li nkunu nafu min u kif qed ifittex li jinfluwenza l-proċess tad-deċiżjonijiet. Dan jassigura li l-lobbying ma jkunx użat bħala għodda sigrieta biex iħarbat il-proċess demokratiku li bih jittieħdu d-deċiżjonijiet politiċi.

B’żieda ma dan huwa essenzjali li jkollna linji gwida u regolamenti dwar l-ingaġġ meqjus “revolving door” ta’ dawk fil-ħajja pubblika fid-dinja tan-negozju kif ukoll ta’ dawk min-negozju fid-dinja politika. Huwa essenzjali li l-Kummissarju fil-Ħajja Pubblika jibda it-triq f’din id-direzzjoni mingħajr iktar dewmien. Ir-regolamentazzjoni tal-lobbying tnaqqas il-possibilità li jkun imminiat il-proċess demokratiku.