“When a Former Member of Parliament is not tied up with his/her own Party rule/s, then one can express in a much more constructive way, their personal views and opinions on past experience of how Parliament should be.
Experience – time & past hard knocks, also gives a veteran a clearer vision of how Parliamentarians conditions and aspects are expected, or should be.
Partisan criticism of by whom and when reforms should, or could have been implemented, does not help in any way to move forward for a better aspect of change.
As time evolves and the general public acquires more insight of how Parliament works, realisation will start creeping into their minds that certain reforms are needed for the betterment of having career/professional full-time Parliamentarians.
If our Country and its citizens want to have and attract the best minds to commit themselves in seeking this so important posts in our democratic country.
These important steps will then meliorate by far the work of our Parliament. If we wish for a better representation in our National Parliament several reforms have to be made.
Suggestions
1) Political Parties should cease to make past mistakes by enticing and going after candidates whose choice is solely based on their popularity & not their political ambitions/beliefs. These who never ever had any ambitions of being in Parliament as their priorities were & are solely based on their professions, do not make good Parliamentarians.
2) Political Parties have to issue a call for prospective young people interested in Politics years before Elections – provide them with Constitutional Instructions – Public Speaking – Parliament Proceedings – Rules & Regulations – the importance of their initial speech – what is required from a Parliamentarian.
3) This issue has already been put in practice, when recently Political Parties had a group of young Candidatures during & prior to the last European & Council Elections. Fruit was borne as many young candidates were elected.
4) Each & every person personal record must be clean of any criminal offences – checked before any submissions of candidacies.
Till now these points have been sadly lacking.
Personal Assets
We feel it is humiliating for Parliamentarians to have their personal financial aspects published or submitted to parliament. In our view this is solely used for gossip to the general public in bars & coffee shops. Submissions that are never ever really checked & assets accounted for.
What is suggested instead, is that these financial submissions should be sent to the Auditor General for verification (until now there has been no verifications of any sort), and only after and if the General Auditor finds discrepancies, will he then submit a report to Mr Speaker who will after table the report/s in Parliament.
Even Members of Parliament should have their own & family’s privacy the same as anyone else.
Full Time Parliamentarians
The Former Parliamentarian’s Association has been stating and insisting for many years that our Parliament should be made of Full-Time Parliamentarians. Their pay has to be adequate for their position and also able to cater for their & their family’s needs. Mr David Stellini’s case if studied properly clearly indicates why.
As Secretary of our Association we have discussed this issue many times in our Committee Meetings. Hereunder I will list some points which would ensure better and much more serious Parliamentarians in our Parliament.
1) By earning 20,000 thousand euros per year (on a scale 10 salary), having to feed your family from only this income – being invited to numerous Engagements – Weddings mostly as Best Man or Witness – Births – Baptisms – Confirmations – Activities – Local Collections for local Festivities – Fireworks contributions – having to appear/dress decently yourself – wife & children, what will remain if any from these miserable wages?
2) This reality does not even enter the general public minds who believes that all Parliamentarians are rich and can easily afford the financial aspects of life.
3) Part-time Members of Parliament who are Lawyers – Architects – Accountants – Doctors/Specialists – etc. etc. earn more in a month, than what Parliamentarians earn in a year.
4) These Professional M.Ps will have to during practising their profession, not only defend mostly criminals – investors – businessmen – building permits, etc. but amalgamate with them and their cases. These cause serious conflicts to one’s correct views as an M.P.
5) Medical M.Ps not to lose their practice could be allowed to work free of charge only at Government’s Hospitals on weekends.
6) M.P’s private lives should also be monitored by Mr Speaker’s Office.
7) Female M.Ps have to be provided with a Children’s Section – a Nursery – Child Carers – a Parliament’s Restaurant to provide meals if is to become full-time.
8) Better improved times for Parliament sessions mostly due to Women Parliamentarians has also to be considered.
9) We do not believe that Women Parliamentarians should be induced in Parliament without being elected as others. If Government keep on insisting on this, then not more than for a period trial of two terms. We believe in equality and not preferences.
10) Our Association also insists that any Parliamentarian elected will be entitled for a Full-Pension at retirement age after one legislation.
11) Any Member elected no matter their age will become eligible for a pension.
12) No Member of Parliament should have or hold shares in any Company.
13) No Minister is to have after retirement – accept or be in any Company – Firm – etc. which fell under his/her Ministry for a period of 5 years.
14) Our Association also insists that all meetings held between Ministers/Companies/Enterprises/Financials/Investments – etc., etc. should all be registered and recorded.
15) Parliament is obliged to give more attention to Citizens Objections especially about environmental & building issues.
16) No Minister should be able to employ Members of the family in the Ministry.
17) No-one whether a P.M. or M.E.P. should speak discriminately against our Islands overseas when on official duties.
18) The M.Ps should have an official place in the Country’s Protocol.
19) Lastly, it is simply ridiculous to have a Member of Parliament or a Civil Servant earning more than the Prime Minister.
But most of all it is important for a better system of Parliament, that our Members of Parliament should all be Full-Timers.
Candidates have to decide beforehand if they want to contest and dedicate their future for a Parliamentary Position. Their sole dedication must be directed for Parliamentary work.
In order for this dedication to be made, they must be provided with Good Remunerations – Offices – Staff & all other requirements needed for Full-Time Parliamentarians.
Standard Commissioner Report
Not to prolong this article, we find the report of Dr George Hyzler, the Standards Commissioner appointed by this Administration, to have a very valid observation of our past & present system. Certain recommendations were submitted which we believe do require serious debate.
It is useless to have critics saying why this wasn’t done before under other administrations. The answer is simple.
It was this present Administration that created this Office. An Office that has to deliver in an impartial and effective way.
Nobody can stop this present administration striving for further advancement to a better system of our Parliament.
I say well done to the present administration for creating this position/institute, which if these points are taken in a positive way and aspect by all sides in Parliament, can bring and be of enormous advancement to our Parliamentary System.
Our Association has submitted itself for discussions on both the Greco and Vienna Reports, but till now no such discussions have been held.”
Lino DeBono,
Secretary of Maltese Former Parliamentarians