It is unacceptable for political parties to store information about voter preferences. It is reprehensible that this information is also used by the party in Government to carry out political discrimination. This ongoing practice should be stopped immediately. Political parties should no longer be allowed to store personal data on voters. This was the main message of the Chairperson of ADPD-The Green Party, Sandra Gauci when she addressed a news conference in connection with the data leak that appears to have come from the Labour Party.

ADPD Deputy Secretary General Dr Melissa Bagley said that the scandal that was revealed through the data leak is a threat to the very foundations of our democratic society. The actions of the government in the selection of applicants for work in the public sector who vote only Labour, based on their political beliefs, is a serious violation of every principle of justice, equality and democracy.

The government has a responsibility to ensure that our public services are staffed by individuals who are qualified and competent, regardless of their political affiliations. By engaging in discriminatory practices, the government undermines the integrity of our public service recruitment processes.

It is of great concern that the government remained silent and failed to take appropriate action in response to this scandal. Instead of taking responsibility for the actions that were carried out, the government tried to reduce the severity of the situation and deflect the blame onto others. This lack of transparency and accountability only serves to further erode public trust in our institutions, insisted Bagley.

ADPD Chairperson Sandra Gauci said that the implications of this scandal extend far beyond public service recruitment. The storage and misuse of personal data is a serious concern that undermines the privacy and security of individuals across the country. The fact that this data was allegedly used to discriminate against individuals based on their political beliefs is a clear violation of their rights to freedom of expression and association.

To address these issues, we must take immediate and decisive action. This includes launching an independent investigation into the data leak and discriminatory practices that have been uncovered. It also means the implementation of robust measures to prevent future breaches of privacy and to ensure that public service recruitment processes are fair, transparent, and free from political bias.

Furthermore, we must hold those responsible for this scandal accountable for their actions as well. This includes not only those who directly participated in discriminatory practices but also those who enabled them.

ADPD demands the Information and Data Protection Commissioner to immediately investigate this practice and take the necessary measures so that this storage of information by political parties no longer takes place. Amendments to the law are also needed so that political parties no longer store personal data on voters.

The government must take decisive action quickly to restore public confidence in our political institutions and to demonstrate the commitment to uphold the principles of justice, equality, and democracy.

In any democratic society, justice is a fundamental pillar that ensures equality and trust. In relation to public service recruitment, the principles of justice and transparency must be respected to foster a system built on meritocracy and equal opportunities. It is crucial that justice is not only done but appears to be served well, because only in this way can we assure the public that the country’s commitment to justice and transparency is a genuine one.

The government’s betrayal of justice and democracy through the selection of job applicants in the public sector who only vote for Labour, is a serious concern that calls for immediate action. We must work together to hold those responsible accountable for their actions and to restore public trust in our political institutions. Only then can we move forward as a truly fair, just, and democratic society, concluded Gauci.

***

Il-partiti politiċi m’għandhomx jaħżnu informazzjoni dwar il-votanti

Huwa inaċċettabbli li l-partiti politiċi jaħżnu informazzjoni dwar il-preferenzi tal-votanti. Huwa kundannabli li din l-informazzjoni tintuża wkoll mill-partit fil-Gvern biex titwettaq diskriminazzjoni politika. Din il-prattika li ilha għaddejja għandha titwaqqaf immedjatament. Il-partiti politiċi m’għandhomx jitħallew jibqgħu jaħżnu data personali fuq il-votanti. Dan kien il-messaġġ ewlieni taċ-Chairperson ta’ ADPD-The Green Party, Sandra Gauci meta indirizzat konferenza tal-aħbarijiet in konnessjoni mat-tnixxija tad-data li jidher li ħarġet mill-Partit Laburista.

Id-Deputat Segretarju Generali ta’ ADPD Dr Melissa Bagley qalet li l-iskandlu li ġie żvelat permezz tat-tnixxija tad-data (data leak)  hu theddida għall-pedamenti stess tas-soċjetà demokratika tagħna. L-azzjonijiet tal-gvern fl-għażla ta’ applikanti għal xogħol fis-settur pubbliku li jivvotaw biss ‘il-Labour, abbażi tat-twemmin politiku tagħhom, huwa ksur gravi ta’ kull prinċipju ta’ ġustizzja, ugwaljanza u demokrazija.

Il-gvern għandu r-responsabbiltà li jiżgura li s-servizzi pubbliċi tagħna jkunu mħaddma minn individwi li huma kwalifikati u kompetenti, irrispettivament mill-affiljazzjonijiet politiċi tagħhom. Bl-involviment fi prattiċi diskriminatorji, il-gvern idgħajjef l-integrità tal-proċessi ta’ reklutaġġ tas-servizz pubbliku tagħna.

Huwa ta’ tħassib kbir li l-gvern baqa’ sieket u naqas milli jieħu azzjoni xierqa b’reazzjoni għal dan l-iskandlu. Minflok ma jerfa’ r-responsabbiltà għall-azzjonijiet li twettqu, il-gvern ipprova jnaqqas is-severità tas-sitwazzjoni u jiddevja t-tort fuq ħaddieħor. Din in-nuqqas ta’ trasparenza u responsabbiltà sservi biss biex tkompli titnaqqar il-fiduċja pubblika fl-istituzzjonijiet tagħna, sostniet Bagley.

Iċ-Chairperson ta’ ADPD Sandra Gauci qalet li l-implikazzjonijiet ta’ dan l-iskandlu jestendu ferm lilhinn mill-qasam tar-reklutaġġ tas-servizz pubbliku. Il-ħażna u l-użu ħażin tad-data personali huwa tħassib serju li jimmina l-privatezza u s-sigurtà tal-individwi madwar il-pajjiż. Il-fatt li din id-data allegatament intużat biex issir diskriminazzjoni kontra individwi abbażi tat-twemmin politiku tagħhom huwa ksur ċar tad-drittijiet tagħhom għal-libertà tal-espressjoni u l-assoċjazzjoni.

Biex nindirizzaw dawn il-kwistjonijiet, irridu nieħdu azzjoni immedjata u deċiżiva. Dan jinkludi t-tnedija ta’ investigazzjoni indipendenti dwar it-tnixxija tad-data u l-prattiċi diskriminatorji li ġew mikxufa. Ifisser ukoll l-implimentazzjoni ta’ miżuri robusti biex jiġi evitat ksur futur tal-privatezza u biex jiġi żgurat li l-proċessi ta’ reklutaġġ tas-servizz pubbliku jkunu ġusti, trasparenti u ħielsa minn preġudizzju politiku.

Barra minn hekk, irridu nżommu lil dawk responsabbli għal dan l-iskandlu responsabbli għall-azzjonijiet tagħhom ukoll. Dan jinkludi mhux biss lil dawk li pparteċipaw direttament fi prattiċi diskriminatorji iżda wkoll lil dawk li ppermettewhom.

ADPD titlob lil Kummissarju tal-Informazzjoni u Protezzjoni tad-Data biex jinvestiga minnufih din il-prattika u jieħu dawk il-miżuri neċessarji biex din il-ħażna ta’ informazzjoni mill-partiti politiċi ma tibqax issir.  Huwa ukoll meħtieġa emendi għal-liġi biex il-partiti politiċi ma jibqgħux jaħżnu data personali fuq il-votanti.

Il-gvern għandu jieħu azzjoni deċiżiva malajr biex jerġa’ jġib il-fiduċja pubblika fl-istituzzjonijiet politiċi tagħna u biex juri l-impenn li jħares il-prinċipji tal-ġustizzja, l-ugwaljanza u d-demokrazija.

Fi kwalunkwe soċjetà demokratika, il-ġustizzja hi pilastru fundamentali li jassigura l-ugwaljanza u l-fiduċja. Fir-rigward tar-reklutaġġ tas-servizz pubbliku, il-prinċipji tal-ġustizzja u t-trasparenza jridu jitħarsu biex titrawwem sistema mibnija fuq il-meritokrazija u l-opportunitajiet indaqs. Huwa kruċjali li l-ġustizzja ma ssirx biss imma tidher li ssir, għax hekk biss nistgħu nassiguraw lill-pubbliku li l-impenn tal-pajjiż għall-ġustizzja u t-trasparenza huwa wieħed ġenwin.

It-tradiment tal-gvern tal-ġustizzja u d-demokrazija permezz tal-għażla ta’ applikanti għal xogħol fis-settur pubbliku li jivvutaw biss lil-Labour, huwa ta’ tħassib serju li titlob azzjoni immedjata. Irridu naħdmu flimkien biex inżommu lil dawk responsabbli responsabbli għall-azzjonijiet tagħhom u biex nirrestawraw il-fiduċja pubblika fl-istituzzjonijiet politiċi tagħna. Hekk biss nistgħu nimxu ‘l quddiem bħala soċjetà li hija tassew ġusta u demokratika, temmet Gauci.