Draft whistleblowers' law to be published tomorrow

A draft whistleblower act, which has been in the pipeline for years, is finally set to be published tomorrow.

The proposal had first seen light of day in a White Paper entitled 'Towards Greater Transparency and Accountability', presented in July 2007  and a draft bill was tabled in parliament in 2008, however the previous PN administration had shelved the bill, despite former Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi's commitment to enact the bill.  

During this year's electoral campaign, Labour leader Joseph Muscat had pledged that the bill would be one of the first laws to be enacted by his government.

Although both parties in Parliament have always backed the introduction a law which would  provide legal protection for individuals who disclose information so as to expose malpractice and matters of similar concern, it is expected that the new draft bill will include changes from the one presented in 2008.

During this evening's meeting of the Parliamentary House Business Committee, Labour whip Carmelo Abela explained that the Whistleblowers will be published tomorrow and the government intends to discuss it as soon as possible in Parliament.

However, no sitting has been devoted for the draft act, with a number of pending bills taking precedence. The government and the Opposition, represented by PN deputy leader Mario de Marco and whip David Agius, agreed to have a number of additional sittings this week to approve the financial estimates of a number of state entities.

These estimates need to be approved by the end of the month and the estimates for Enemalta, the Water Services Corporation, the Malta Environment and Planning Authority, the Housing Authority and the Employment and Training Corporation will be discussed and voted in additional sittings on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday morning.

The committee also decided to round up the discussion on the amendment to the social security act in Monday's session. The two parties also agreed to decide Tuesday and Wednesday's agenda at a later stage.

A proposal by PN whip David Agius to have the Private Members Bill; presented by Opposition MP Claudette Buttigieg on Constitutional changes to protect citizens of all sexual orientations discussed next week was shelved as government whip Carmelo Abela said that the bill should be discussed following "an imminent meeting" between Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and the Leader of the Opposition Simon Busuttil.

The Committee also discussed a special Parliamentary meeting to be held on Wednesday 10 July to mark the visit of the visit of the President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy.

The two sides agreed that a special sitting will be held on 10 July at 3:30pm which will be addressed by Speaker Anglu Farrugia, the European Council president, the Prime Minister and the leader of the opposition. 

On the proposal on holding Parliamentary sittings at earlier times, Abela floated the proposal to have one experimental sitting every week which starts at 5pm instead of 6pm.

In reaction, de Marco MPs pointed out that Maltese MPs were part timers and holding earlier sittings would pile immense pressure and create problems to MPs who are either employed or have a profession.

"If MPs were full timers, fine, however since we are part-timers it would create problems and would also discourage people from contesting future elections and become MPs," de Marco said.

Abela noted that he himself was an employee and fully understood the concerns raised by de Marco however he also noted that MPs have families and a compromise should be sought to strike a balance.

With both sides prepared to discuss a change in times the committee agreed to hold further discussions to find a solution.

Abela also said that the government would soon be proposing the introduction of sittings in which the agenda would be set by the Opposition.

Noting that this would not be replacing the Opposition's right to table Private Members Bill, the Opposition would be allowed to set the agenda and have Parliamentary debates without voting.

Abela also indicated that the Parliament should go in summer recess between 10 and 17 July