Speaker wants Parliament to eschew ‘winner takes all’ experience

Speaker of the House Michael Frendo called for a serious revision of the standing orders of parliament, in a bid to shed the impression of a democratic forum where the "winner takes all".

In his speech held yesterday at Hastings Gardens, Valletta marking the Sette Giugno riots of 1919, when four men were killed by the British colonial forces, Frendo called for a revision of the orders that can "promote an increasingly higher standard of fair play, so as to ensure that Parliament does not result in a 'winner takes all' experience".

Speaking against a backdrop of parliamentary litigation between the two sides of the House that has characterised the last four years, Frendo said that more sophisticated safeguards are needed in place concerning the rights of the minority and the tabling and allocation of items for debate, while ensuring that the majority enjoys the necessary space to implement its legislative programme.

"We must consolidate the work which has been carried to give parliamentarians access to more information by reaching the point where each parliamentarian will have a dedicated assistant and the necessary facilities and space to fulfil the duties arising from their responsibilities as Members of the House of Representatives."

Frendo added the housing of the Maltese parliament in its new Renzo Piano designed building at City Gate will be an important achievement for democracy, and that it is the right moment to ensure that Parliament acquires its full autonomy.

"It is unsustainable that the Maltese parliament is still considered as a government department from an administrative viewpoint, even though in practice it has already acquired a certain operative space. In my opinion, a specific building for parliament will lead to a marked change in the popular perspective of Parliament, in the identification of the nature and role of Parliament in our democracy."

The new parliament will for the first time in its history allow realtime transmission of debates in the Parliament's plenary hall.

Frendo insisted that the move to the Piano building must be accompanied by a change in the legal infrastructure that grants the parliament the autonomy enjoyed by parliaments in all other European Union countries.

He also urged leaders and political parties to commit themselves in their political programmes to enact a law that renders Parliament autonomous from a decisional, financial and recruitment point of view.

"This should be based on the same model as that already existing for the Office of the Ombusdman and the Auditor General, who are ironically both officials of Parliament but who are already autonomous and regulated by a specific law.

"This is in line with our Constitution, which chooses to deal with Parliament before any other Institution in recognition of the fact that this is the highest institution in our country."

Frendo  tabled a proposal for the setting-up of a committee on economic and financial affairs, in view of new developments within the EU.

"We must always be dynamic and address needs which develop over time within our country's legislative body and in its functions relating to debate, scrutiny and relevance to the country," Frendo says.

"It is important that in our daily efforts we do not lose the open vision required, that we do not disregard the historical backdrop while always looking forward. We must continue doing this in full respect of the memory of the victims of the Sette Giugno, of all those who strived for Malta to gain its sovereignty and for the Maltese people to achieve its liberties.

"This should instigate us to be faithful to our mission to uphold highly the reputation of our Parliament as a constitutional institution."