More time for the Opposition

The Opposition is seeking to have more time in Parliament, but the government has so far failed to listen to its plea. A letter it send in July, in which it proposed some changes to the way Parliament operates, has remained unanswered. Six months have passed since Opposition whip Robert Cutajar and then PN deputy leader for parliamentary affairs, David Agius, had written a letter to the deputy prime minister, making a list of suggestions about parliamentary procedures.

The Opposition had asked, for example, for the introduction of a question time for the Prime Minister, based on what happens in the UK.

More than this, it sought to increase the time that Parliament dedicates to issues the Opposition wants to bring up. So far, this happens on every three months that the Opposition has a sitting dedicated to it. The PN wants this to increase to once every two weeks.

It also wants a review of the standing orders – it is rather silly, for example, that they still list Parliament sittings as starting at 6pm when the House has been meeting at 4pm for the last three years or so.

Among other matters, the Opposition is also calling for the setting up of a committee for justice, to be chaired by a member of the Opposition but with a government majority.

The Opposition, according to Cutajar, is still waiting for an answer from the government.

While it is to be expected that the government will have its own proposals to make which do not necessarily coincide with those of the Opposition, it is not a good sign that the government is ignoring what has been suggested by the other side.

The least it could do is answer the letter which the Opposition has sent, make its own suggestions, and then hold a discussion to find a way forward. The two sides should sit down together to iron things out. We are sure that they will find common ground on some matters and, in others, where there is discord, an attempt should be made for a compromise.

Of course, the government, with its nine-seat majority, is in a comfortable position. But this does not mean that the Opposition should be ignored. The Opposition has a role to play in our democracy, and it must play it to the best of its abilities.

In this sense, a way should be found for the Opposition to have more resources. We know that most government MPs are part of the Cabinet of Ministers and parliamentary secretaries, which means that they have a team of workers behind each and every one of them. The Opposition, as well as other Labour MPs who are on the backbench, should also have the resources which would enable them to carry out their duties in a more efficient way.

These are matters that have been discussed over and over again, and move from one legislature to another. It is high time that they are addressed.