Parliament to debate gender quotas after recess

Gender quotas would be discussed in parliament once it reconvened after its summer recess, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said this morning.

Muscat, in a telephone interview on One Radio, said that the debate on quotas would also help to quell any misconceptions and misplaced fear the subject might have triggered.

“We will also be consulting the opposition on some major appointments, including the commissioner for standards in public life,” he said. “I hope we will find the necessary cooperation from the opposition on these appointments.”

Muscat said the government was working on preparing a budget that would build upon the strategy adopted in the past four years.

“We will be working on starting to implement the electoral programme, with particular immediate attention paid to the country’s road network,” Muscat said. “In the first few months of 2018, we will embark on a capacity building exercise, to introduce a new system of management and a strong structure that will allow the public to see quick results as we implement our seven-year plan.”

He noted that many people had expressed surprise at how fast and well the Kappara project had progressed and promised this would become the norm, as there were many capable people who could push through major projects on time and on budget.