Main parties hint full-time MPs a must to eliminate conflict of interest

PN has no information on clients serviced by party MPs

Both the Labour Party and the PN have hinted that the one possible solution for eliminating cases of conflict of interest by politicians with private business is to have full-time MPs.

The two parties were replying to questions sent by The Malta Independent on the involvement of individual MPs from both sides of the House in private businesses. On one hand, the Nationalist Party said it does not have information on the clients serviced by its parliamentarians in their private capacity in various fields. On the other hand, the Labour Party, when faced with the exact same question, gave a vaguer answer. Both, however, toyed with the idea of having full-time MPs.

A solution which would seem agreeable to both sides and which could solve issues arising from the commercial interests of members of Parliament.

The PN was also asked if it would be willing to ask party employees or MPs to relinquish their

roles in private commercial entities.

“MPs are part-timers and are therefore entitled to practise their private profession,” a PN spokesperson said. “It is only when they have a ministerial position that they are required to relinquish their private practice. Until we introduce a system of full-time MPs, issues of possible conflict of interest between MPs’ private and political interests can arise.”

The PN then referred to the party’s working document on good governance and how the party has proposed the introduction of full-time MPs.

The Labour Party replied to the questions sent by this newspaper by referring to the possible changes in code of ethics if the government opts to have MPs as full-time employees to parliament. “There are clear rules set in the code of ethics and standards in public life. Further changes can be envisaged only once a decision is taken on the option of having full-time MPs,” a spokesperson said.

The issue of MPs’ role in private businesses has been the latest of a series of political ammunition used by the two major parties. It was Mario de Marco’s involvement with db Group which sparked the latest battle.

A couple of days ago, it was revealed that the legal firm Guido de Marco & Associates renounced its brief as advisors to db Group on the ITS project following the launch of the controversial St George’s Bay project. PN Deputy leader Mario de Marco, who is also a partner with the de Marco law firm, had denied any involvement in the negotiations with db Group for the acquisition of land in St George’s Bay.

The issue of full-time MPs was always dealt with in a straight manner by Alternattiva Demokratika, which has repeatedly called for MPs to become full-time, receiving a salary based on both a flat sum and another part depending on their attendance in parliament for committee and plenary work.