“Appointments such as those of the Ombudsman and the Commissioner for Standards in Public Life should not be used for political horse-trading. It is about time that our institutions are safeguarded in practice and not just in empty words.” ADPD Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo addressed a press conference in front of Castille Place this morning, together with Brian Decelis, PRO.

Brian Decelis recalled how about a year ago the Ombudsman had indicated his intention not to renew his term of office but the Government and the Opposition have in the meantime failed to agree on a replacement. Moreover, in the coming weeks a new Commissioner for Standards in Public Life needs to be appointed following Dr George Hyzler’s nomination to the European Court of Auditors.

Transparency, accountability and good governance should be the fundamental values underpinning the way politics is carried our in our country. The two roles of Ombudsman and Commissioner for Standards in Public Life, together with that of the Auditor General, are essential to ensure that these basic values for any democracy have strong roots in our institutions.

However these roles have become part of the political horse-trading in which the PN and PL are currently engaged in, and new appointments to these important roles in our democratic infrastructure have not been named. How long is it going to take for these vacancies to be filled? The country cannot wait for the Government and the Opposition to end their games, concluded Brian Decelis.

Carmel Cacopardo highlighted the publication of three reports earlier this week by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) dealing with various aspects of the integrity of public life in Malta. The first report emphasized on the need to reinforce existing legislation while the second considered the changes required for the Office of the Commissioner for Standards in Public Life to become more effective. The third report lists a number of recommendations to regulate lobbying.

While lobbying is part of the democratic process ADPD has repeatedly insisted that this should be carried out in a transparent manner. Even though the Commissioner for Standards in Public Life had published a consultation paper, two years down the line nothing has yet been done. And this is no coincidence – both parties in parliament are not interested!

In fact, among the three OECD reports’ 71 recommendations there are many that have been present in the local public debate about the need for transparency, accountability and good governance for a considerable time.

The Ombudsman, the Auditor General and the Commissioner for Standards in Public Life are doing sterling work that is many a time obstructed whenever they seek information in the course of their duties to examine issues at hand.

“Unfortunately, having the necessary laws and roles in place to strengthen integrity in public life is not enough if it is not matched by the political will to let them carry out their work in practice. We must strive for a serious way of doing politics every day,” concluded Cacopardo.

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L-Ombudsman mhux ballun politiku

“Uffiċjali bħalma huma dak ta’ l-Ombudsman u l-Kummissarju għall-Istandards fil-Ħajja Pubblika m’għandhomx jintużgħu bħala ballun politiku. Hemm bżonn li mill-kliem ngħaddu għall-fatti u li l-istituzzjonijiet inħarsuhom bis-serjeta’.” Dan qaluh Carmel Cacopardo Chairperson flimkien ma’ Brian Decelis uffiċjal għall-media ta’ ADPD – The Green Party huma u jindirizzaw konferenza stampa quddiem Kastilja is-Sibt filgħodu.

Brian Decelis spjega kif l-Ombudsman ilu madwar sena li indika li ma xtaqx li t-terminu tiegħu fil-ħatra jiġġedded imma l-Gvern u l-Opposizzjoni għad ma rnexxielhomx jaqblu dwar min għandu jinħatar floku. Fil-ġimgħat li ġejjin ser ikun hemm bżonn li jinħatar Kummissarju għall-iStandards fil-Ħajja Pubblika wara li Dr George Hyzler ġie maħtur bħala membru tal-Qorti Ewropea tal-Awdituri.

It-trasparenza, il-kontabbilita u governanza tajba għandhom ikunu s-sisien ta’ kif titħaddem il-politika f’pajjiżna. Dawn iż-żewġ karigi flimkien ma’ dak tal-Awditur Ġenerali huma essenzjali biex ikun assigurat li dawn il-valuri ta’ importanza bażika għal kull demokrazija jrabbu għeruq fondi fl-istituzzjonijiet ta’ pajjiżna.

Madankollu dawn il-karigi spiċċaw f’ballun politiku bejn il-Gvern u l-Oppożizzjoni u persuni ġodda f’dawn il-karigi importanti fl-infrastruttura demokratika ta’ pajjiżna għadhom ma nħatrux. Nistaqsu kemm ser idumu biex jinħatru persuni validi f’dawn il-karigi. Il-pajjiż ma jistax jibqa’ jistenna l-logħob politiku bejn il-Gvern u l-Opposizzjoni, ikkonkluda Brian Decelis.

Carmel Cacopardo fakkar kif l-Organizzazzjoni għall-Kooperazzjoni Ekonomika u l-Iżvilupp (OECD) iktar kmieni din il-ġimgħa ippubblikat tlett rapporti dwar l-integrita’ fil-ħajja pubblika f’Malta. L-ewwel rapport saħaq fuq il-ħtieġa li l-leġislazzjoni eżistenti tiġi imsaħħa filwaqt li t-tieni wieħed stħarreġ il-bidliet meħtieġa fi ħdan l-Uffiċċju għall-iStandards fil-Ħajja Pubblika biex dan ikun iktar effettiv. It-tielet rapport jelenka numru ta’ rakkomandazzjonijiet dwar ir-regolamentazzjoni tal-‘lobbying’.

Dwar il-lobbying – li huwa parti mill-proċess demokratiku – għidna kemm il-darba li dan għandu jkun wieħed trasparenti. Madankollu, minkejja li kien il-Kummissarju dwar l-iStandards stess li ħareġ proposti għal konsultazzjoni madwar sentejn ilu baqa’ ma sar xejn. U dan mhux kumbinazzjoni għaliex mhuwiex fl-interess taż-żewġ partiti fil-parlament!

Filfatt it-tlett rapporti tal-OECD jinkludu 71 rakkomandazzjoni li ħafna minnhom diġa  issemmew fid-diskussjoni pubblika li ilha għaddejja dwar it-trasparenza, l-kontabilità u l-governanza tajba.

L-Ombudsman, l-Awditur Ġenerali u l-Kummissarju dwar l-Istandards fil-Ħajja Pubblika qegħdin jagħmlu xogħol siewi ħafna imma ħafna drabi isibu tfixkil meta ma jirċevux l-informazzjoni li huma jkunu jeħtieġu fil-qadi ta’ dmirijiethom.

“Sfortunatament li jkollna il-liġijiet u karigi pubbliċi intiżi biex isaħħu l-integrità fil-ħajja pubblika mhuwiex biżżejjed jekk ma jkunx hemm ir-rieda politika biex l-għanijiet li għalihom dawn jitwaqqfu jitweqqu fil-prattika. Is-serjeta’ u l-indafa fil-politika għandna niġġieldu għalihom kuljum,” ikkonkluda Cacopardo.