Lack of ethical political leadership: PD renews call for lobbyist register and Commissioner of Public Standards

Partit Demokratiku yesterday renewed its call for the creation of a lobbyist register and the appointment of a Commissioner of Public Standards, saying that “power and ethics have grossly clashed” and that “Malta lacks ethical political leadership”.

The urgent need for the establishment of a Commissioner of Public Standards has been persistently voiced by Partit Demokratiku since the Bill was enacted in Parliament in March 2017.

The Act has not come into law as the legal notice has not been published and the nominee for the position has not yet been named, PD noted yesterday.

The party said: “Particular challenges that can affect the people’s representatives are the lobbyists whose work is to influence the running of the country strategically for their benefit or the benefit of those they represent. They are accountable only to their employers, their shareholders, or the consumers of commercial business, and use either money or influence to pave their way. PD calls for a bill to regularise this.

“This high office of Members of Parlia- ment carries obligations and responsibilities for both sides: the Government must govern well and the Opposition has to scrutinise diligently and speak up if the Government does not govern properly. We have a political system and a scenario where this is not upheld, as party partisan politics prevails over national interests and the common good.”

PD stressed that “Integrity, honesty, accountability, transparency, a sense of justice and fairness, patience, respect, tolerance, diligence and, above all, re- sponsibility towards what is right are qualities that hallmark political public life.

“Politicians must conduct themselves ethically and soberly, in a social and public life that respects the checks and balances of the four pillars of representative democracy and the Rule of Law, and never allow public office to be used for personal gain.

“Our country is going through very difficult times which are getting darker, with ever increasing overt intolerance. Power and ethics have clashed.”