Parliamentary secretary welcomes consensus on children’s interests
Amendments to various laws safeguarding the children’s best interests enjoy the support of both sides of the House.
Parliamentary secretary for justice Owen Bonnici applauded the opposition for putting aside partisan politics and work hand-in-hand with the government in order to amend various laws that would safeguard the children’s best interests.
The amendments to the laws include the protection of children under care order and amendments to the law prohibiting the use of violence – corporal punishment – on children.
“When it comes to minorities, my partner on the other side of the house came forward leaving behind any partisan interests,” he said, referring to Nationalist MP Clyde Puli.
Insisting that Parliament iwas four square behind the rights and protection of both children and their parents, Bonnici said the unanimous agreement on the amendments spoke volumes.
Among the amendments to the law on care orders, Puli had questioned whether a magistrate who issued a care order for a child should be the same magistrate to revoke it. But according to Bonnici, there would be nothing wrong in such a scenario.