President: Public Service workers must find the courage to ‘stop’ in the face of wrongdoing

Public Service workers should find the courage to “stop” if they believe the proposed path is not in the interest of the national good for the benefit of the people and the country, President Myriam Spiteri Debono said.

“Serving the state and the people as public officers is not always easy, particularly in certain tasks faced by officials in the upper ranks of the hierarchy. We must keep in mind that the Public Service is a perennial institution – eternal, it is there forever!” she said during the 2024 Public Service Awards.

She said Public Service officers must be firm, impartial and in no way partisan.

The President praised the Public Service’s efforts to intensify accessibility and information to the public that should be provided with the services they need and to which they are rightfully entitled.

She appreciated the service’s efforts to provide online information and services; however, in this regard, she said that people must not forget those who either do not know how, or do not feel comfortable using these means of communication, and therefore prefer in-person services.

“The Public Service is the backbone of democratic leadership, one of the guardians of good governance. That is why public officers must be honest, principled, and above all loyal to the country and to the people. As a matter of fact, the importance of the Public Service stems from Chapter X of the Constitution of Malta, which is dedicated to the Public Service,” she said.

Therefore, she said, for Public Service officers to accomplish and fulfil their obligations towards the state and the people in the performance of their duties, they must be guided by good judgement and caution.