Mifsud Bonnici warns of potential abuse of power by customs officials

Opposition MP Carm Mifsud Bonnici criticised a budgetary measure that allows customs officials to request the personal details and documentations of people they believe to be guilty of a crime.

“This will give customs officials executive powers that have traditionally only been given to the police, who the law prevents from abusing this power, such as by requiring them to obtain magistrate signatures beforehand,” Mifsud Bonnici said during a parliamentary debate on the Budget for this year. “This new measure will give customs officials too much room for abusing their power.”

He also criticised the Budget for its increases in life insurance fees, firework license fees, animal license fees, cinema-fireman license fees and small claims tribunal costs. 

“It’s clear that the government had its back to the wall because it had thought it would be able to earn money through some other way,” he said. “ The government obviously doesn’t have a proper financial strategy with regards income through taxes and this doesn’t just reflect poorly on them but on Parliament as a whole.”

‘Vulnerable people not benefiting from primary healthcare’

People who cannot afford the services of private doctors aren’t benefiting from free public health services, Opposition MP Stephen Spiteri said.

“We need a system whereby those who cannot afford private doctors should be serviced for free by a public service doctor at a reasonable time,” Spiteri said. “If they’re unable to leave their homes, then the doctors must visit them themselves.”

He added that delays in primary health services result in patients going to the Emergency Department at Mater Dei, thereby creating queues, increasing waiting times and causing stress to doctors.

He referred to recent media reports about how a single mother had requested a polyclinic to treat her ill daughter but had to wait two days for a doctor to arrive at her home.”

“Two days is far too long to wait for a doctor to arrive at your house,” Spiteri said. “Such incidents shouldn’t be occuring in a country as developed as ours. The government should invest more heavily in primary healthcare because the current system is clearly not benefiting those who need it most, those who are most vulnerable.”