Malta Repubblika hija marida. Dan kien il-kumment taċ-Chairperson ta’ ADPD-The Green Party Sandra Gauci fl-okkażjoni tal-50 anniversarju mit-twaqqif tar-Repubblika ta’ Malta.
“Filwaqt li niċċelebraw din il-kisba nazzjonali storika 50 sena ilu, pajjiżna jinsab f’salib it-toroq u jeħtieġlu li jagħraf kemm diversi aspetti fundamentali għal demokrazija b’saħħitha ttieklu u ddgħajfu” kompliet Gauci. Huwa ta’ għajb li wara 50 sena ta’ storja Repubblikana, il-governanza misset il-qiegħ. Huwa fatt magħruf li saret ma tgħaddix ġimgħa li ma jiġix żvelat abbuż ta’ poter, korruzzjoni u klijenteliżmu min-nies li l-pajjiż fdahom biex imexxuh, u għamluh qisu tagħhom.. Huwa ovvju li pajjiżna issa qed iħallas il-prezz qares tat-tkaxkir tas-saqajn minn politiċi ‘tradizzjonali’ skaduti miż-żewġ naħat tal-kamra li tul is-snin, qagħdu lura milli jagħmlu t-tibdil neċessarju sabiex il-governanza tajba tiġi mseddqa u mħarsa.
“Il-konvenzjoni kostituzzjonali li ilha tiġi mwegħda għal snin twal, baqgħet fuq l-ixkaffa għax ma kinitx ta’ prijorità la għall-Partit Laburista u lanqas għall-Partit Nazzjonalista. Għalihom it-tnejn, il-konstituzzjoni kif inhi hija komda għax tiggarantixxi kwazi poter assolut lil min ikun qed jiggverna. Ir-riżultat ta’ dan qed ngħixuh kuljum frott kostituzzjoni dgħajfa li ma toffrix kontrapiż tant essenzjali f’kull demokrazija kontra l-abbuż tal-poter” tenniet Gauci.
“Il-parlament, meqjus bħala l-għola istituzzjoni tal-pajjiż kull ma jmur qed jiġi msikket bil-back benchers jinħatru fuq bordijiet ħafna drabi b’pagi ogħla minn tal-ministri biex effettivament jagħlqulhom ħalqhom. Il-ħatriet kostituzzjonali, fosthom il-ħatra tal-Kummissjoni Elettorali u l-Awtorita’ tax-Xandir fost oħrajn, jinqasmu nofs bin-nofs bejn il-partit fil-gvern u l-partit fl-oppożizzjoni li jirrenduhom pupazzi f’idejn min jappunthom. Ix-xandir nazzjonali għadu maħkum mill-gvern tal-ġurnata bil-possibilità ta’ kritika u ġurnalizmu investigattiv kważi ineżistenti. Il-ligi elettorali tibqa’ mmudellata biex taqdi u tipproteġi ‘l-Partit Laburista u ‘l-Partit Nazzjonalista u tiddiskrimina b’mod sistematiku kontra vuċijiet terzi biex jidħlu fil-parlament.
“Huwa ċar kristall li l-kontabilità fil-ħajja pubblika għadha tiġi kkunsidrata bħala lussu żejjed. Skandli bħal konsulenzi fantażma, l-iskandlu tal-ftehim frawdolenti tal-isptarijiet, l-impjieg bl-addoċċ ta’ persuni ta’ fiduċja fil-ministeri mingħajr sens ta’ responsabbilità, introjtu tal-parlamentari mhux iddikjarat, partiti mdejnin mal-kummissarju tal-VAT u mal-ARMS, l-iskandlu tal-liċenzji, l-iskandlu tal-għajnuniet soċjali illeċti bil-kompliċità tal-politiċi, fost oħrajn, huma sintomu ċar ta’ repubblika marida. Ma’ dan jiżdied il-finanzjament tal-partiti u l-ħakma tal-industrija tal-kostruzzjoni li tibqa’ tixtri l-partiti sabiex il-ħerba nazzjonali bil-kompliċità tal-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar u t-tħaxxin tal-bwiet tal-ftit, jissokta.
Fuq it-tibdil kostituzzjonali ADPD-The Green Party kien ippreżenta dokument dettaljat biex is-susa li qegħda tnawwar lill-pajjiżna tiġi indirizzata. Fost dawn hemm il-bżonn li l-president bħala gwardjan tal-kostituzzjoni, jingħata l-poter li jibgħat lura lill-parlament kwalunkwe liġi li tmur kontra l-kostituzzjoni. ADPD tinsisti wkoll fuq ir-rappreżentanza parlamentari li tikkorrispondi mal-voti miksuba, tipproponi listi elettorali li jindirizzaw il-bżonn ta’ ugwaljanza bejn il-ġeneri, il-ħatra tal-President u l-ħatriet ta’ korpi kostituzzjonali u kummissjonijiet li jsir b’mod differenti, l-Awtorità tax-Xandir li tirrispondi għall-Parlament, drittijiet diġitali li jiġu nklużi fil-kostituzzjoni, l-inklużjoni tar-referendu propożittiv, fost ħafna proposti oħra. ADPD issaqsi x’sar mill-proċess tal-konvenzjoni kostituzzjonali. “Fl-interess ta’ min dan il-proċess waqaf zopptu?” tenniet Sandra Gauci. “L-isbaħ ċelebrazzjoni mill-kisba tar-Repubblika ikun l-issuktar tal-proċess biex il-kostituzzjoni tiġi aġġornata biex tirrifletti Malta Repubblikana moderna, flok Malta Repubblika imwaħħla fil-passat.”
ADPD tinsisti li pajjiżna ma jista’ qatt ifieq mill-pjagi li qegħdin jifnuh, jekk ma jmurx lilhinn minn sistema maħkuma minn żewġ partiti fil-Parlament. Huwa l-pluraliżmu tal-vuċijiet u l-ispazji biex jinstemgħu li jwassal sabiex is-saltna tad-dritt, il-kontabilità u l-governanza tajba jitħarsu.
Link: Riforma Kostituzzjonali https://adpd.mt/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/AD_Riforma-Kostituzzjonali.pdf
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The Sick Republic of Malta – ADPD
The Republic of Malta is sick. This was the remark of the ADPD-The Green Party Chairperson Sandra Gauci on the 50th anniversary of the Republic of Malta.
“Whilst we celebrate this historical national milestone achieved 50 years ago, our county is now at a crossroads and needs to recognize how many fundamental aspects, so necessary for a strong democracy, have been eaten away, weakening our democracy, Gauci commented. It is shameful that after 50 years, governance has hit rock bottom. It is now a given that hardly a week goes by without some discovery of abuse of power, corruption, and clientelism from people entrusted with the governance of the country, treating the country as their own personal property. It is obvious that our country is paying a high price for the foot-dragging of ‘traditional’ politicians on both sides of the House failing to make the necessary changes to safeguard and strengthen good governance.
The constitutional reform that was promised for years has remained on the shelf because it was not a priority for neither the Labour Party nor the Nationalist Party. For both, the constitution as it is quite convenient for them because it guarantees nearly absolute power to incumbents. We are now experiencing this as a result of the weak constitution that does not offer checks and balances that are essential in safeguarding democracy from the abuse of power”, concluded Gauci.
“Parliament, considered to be the highest institution in the country, is being silenced by appointing backbenchers on many boards, frequently with higher salaries than those of ministers, so as to effectively buy their silence. The constitutional appointments, including the appointment of the Electoral Commission and the Broadcasting Authority amongst others, are split between the party in government and the opposition party, effectively making the appointees the puppets of those who appoint them. The national broadcaster is hijacked by the incumbent government, practically making any criticism and investigative journalism inexistent. Electoral law is being modelled to serve the interest of the Labour Party and the Nationalist Parties, systematically discriminating against any third voices entering Parliament.”
“It is crystal clear that accountability in public life is considered a luxury. Scandals like phantom consultancies, the Vitals hospital scam, the rash employment of persons of trust in ministries, the undeclared revenue of parliamentarians, political parties in debt with the VAT Department and ARMS, the driving licence scandal, the complicity of ministers in the recent social benefits scandal, amongst others, are a clear symptom of a sick republic. In addition to this, there is party financing by the construction industry, which in turn fuels the national destruction permitted by the Planning Authority, in the process fattening the pockets of the few.
ADPD-The Green Party had presented detailed documentation of nearly 40 pages long on constitutional change, full of proposals to modernise the Republic. Amongst these we mention the need for a president to be a guardian of the constitution, and to be given the power to return any laws going against the constitution back to Parliament. ADPD also proposes for the need for other measures, such as parliamentary representation directly reflecting votes cast, electoral lists that support gender balance, changes to the appointment of the president, constitutional bodies and commissions, a Broadcasting Authority answerable to Parliament, digital rights included in the constitution, as well as the inclusion of the propositive referendum, amongst other proposals. What has happened to the constitutional reform process? “In whose interest has this process been halted?” asked Sandra Gauci. “The greatest celebration ever of the Republic would be the continuation of the process of constitutional reform that reflects a modern Maltese Republic. Instead it seems that we have a sick Republic of Malta stuck in the past.”
ADPD-The Green Party insists that unless the country breaks away from a rigged system hijacked by the so called ‘traditional’ PL and PN, our country can never heal from bad governance. It is the pluralism of voices from all sectors of society that will lead to the rule of law, accountability and good governance being respected.
Link: Riforma Kostituzzjonali https://adpd.mt/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/AD_Riforma-Kostituzzjonali.pdf
