Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/537300
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 5 JULY 2015 6 News TIM DIACONO IT is a miracle in Malta that justice can be served at all within such a flawed system of appointing judges, according to former European Court of Human Rights judge Giovanni Bonello. "I believe Malta to be the only country in the democratic world where the judiciary is appointed at the sole and unfettered whim of the politicians," Bonello told MaltaToday. "No other democratic country in the whole world accepts this shambles of a system for the appoint- ment of its judiciary. "The method of selection, coupled with the de facto impossibility of firing or disciplining those members of the judiciary who fail in their duties, make the proper administration of justice in Malta a daily miracle." Malta's judicial appointments system was re- cently criticised by the Council of Europe's anti- corruption watchdog GRECO. In a damning report, the watchdog noted the lack of a formal appointment process, with no invita- tion to apply and no interviews held. They warned that this has led to a widespread perception that judges are not appointed because of their "suitabil- TIM DIACONO SOME ardent followers of evan- gelical fellowship River of Love donate 10% of their salary to the group, in accordance with an an- cient biblical belief. A teacher at pastor Gordon-John Manche's Nations for Christ Bible College – which has courted con- troversy in the past over alleged 'gay conversion' claims – told Mal- taToday that the "tithe" principle features extensively in the Bible, from Abraham donating one-tenth of his war-spoils to a high priest, to its inclusion in the Law of Moses. "Not once in the Bible does it state that the tithe has been abol- ished," Marius-Richard Cilia said. "There are biblical principles about money and paying taxes, just as there are biblical principles about love. The tithe is a belief, an agreement between a person and God, and some people at River of Love abide by this principle." But Manché has denied claims by a woman, who spoke to Malta- Today, who said Manché "coerces" followers into donating 10% of their salary to River of Love. "People need to feel as though they belong to something and Manché makes his followers feel psychologically obliged to finan- cially help them out," she said, de- scribing the charismatic group as a "cult". Manché denied this claim when contacted by MaltaToday, insist- ing that his organisation spreads its message but leaves it up to the people whether to donate or not. Further attempts to contact the pastor after Marius Cilia's confir- mation of the tithe proved futile. Similarly, Cilia explained that the final decision as to whether or not to tithe, ultimately rests with the individual. "We simply spread the Word of God. People have free will and it's up to them whether to believe or not, but there are consequences for those who don't." He said that church donations all go towards "spreading the Word", maintenance and broadcasting costs, and helping people in need. "Our sole source of income is through donations. All churches and all voluntary organisations ask for donations from their follow- ers." €149,899 in donations in one year, but River of Love now in default River of Love is certainly not short of generous followers though. According to their most recent financial statement to the Commission for Voluntary Or- ganisations in 2010, the evangeli- cal group declared a high €149,899 in donations, compared to just €43,298 in 2009. The largest share of their ex- penditure was on rent of their Zebbug premises (€20,126), TV expenses (€19,975), and printing costs (€18,904). Manche's wages as a full-time pastor reached €11,962, up from €8,420 in 2009. Interestingly, the financial state- ments reveal that Gordon-John Manche's wife, psychologist Mari- 'Serving of justice a miracl Fervent believers donate chunks to evangelical River of Love church ZZZPHSDRUJPW 7KH0DOWD(QYLURQPHQWDQG3ODQQLQJ$XWKRULW\0(3$KDV EHHQJXLGHGE\*RYHUQPHQWWRLQLWLDWHDSDUWLDOUHYLHZRIWKH *UDQG+DUERXU/RFDO3ODQIRU0DUVDDVDPHQGHGLQ 7KH$XWKRULW\KDVLVVXHGIRSXEOLFFRQVXOWDWLRQWKHGUDIW REMHFWLYHVZKLFKZLOOEHXVHGWRIRUPXODWHWKHUHYLVLRQVWRWKH FXUUHQWSURYLVLRQVRISROLFLHV*0DQG*P 7KHSURSRVHGREMHFWLYHVDUH 7RUHDOLJQWKHERXQGDULHVRIWKHDUHDVFRYHUHGE\ SROLFLHV*0±0DUVD3DUN'HYHORSPHQWDQG*0±WKH 0DUVD 6SRUWV &RPSOH[ WR DOORZ IRU FRQVLGHUDWLRQ RI DOWHUQDWLYHVIRUWKHDOLJQPHQWRI7ULT'LFHPEUX 7RUHHYDOXDWHWKHSROLF\SURYLVLRQVLQSROLF\*0IRU WKHFRPSUHKHQVLYHSODQQLQJRIWKH0DUVD3DUN'HYHORSPHQW 6LWHDQGIRUWKHUDQJHDQGVFDOHRIWKHPL[RIODQGXVHV 7RSURSRVHVLWHVSHFLILFODQGXVHDQGEXLOGLQJKHLJKW GHVLJQDWLRQVIRUGLIIHUHQWSDUFHOVRIODQGZLWKLQWKH0DUVD 3DUNGHYHORSPHQWVLWH 0(3$ LQYLWHV LQGLYLGXDOV DQG RUJDQL]DWLRQV WR VHQG SUHOLPLQDU\ VXEPLVVLRQV UHODWHG WR WKHVH REMHFWLYHV 5HSUHVHQWDWLRQVDUHWREHPDGHLQZULWLQJWRWKH 7KH2IILFHRIWKH&(2 0DOWD(QYLURQPHQWDQG3ODQQLQJ$XWKRULW\ 3DUWLDO5HYLHZRIWKH*UDQG+DERXU/RFDO3ODQ0DUVD 32%R[0DUVD056 RURQWKHHPDLODGGUHVVJKOS#PHSDRUJPW 7KH*UDQG+DUERXU/RFDO3ODQFDQEHYLHZHGRQWKH0(3$ V ZHEVLWHZZZPHSDRUJPW 6XEPLVVLRQVPXVWEHVHQWWRWKH$XWKRULW\E\QRWODWHUWKDQ UG-XO\ 3$57,$/5(9,(:2)7+(*5$1' +$5%285/2&$/3/$1)250$56$ 3XEOLF&RQVXOWDWLRQ3KDVH ECHR judge Giovanni Bonello (left): The proper administration of justice in Malta is a daily miracle. Right: Justice Minister Owen Bonnici Gordon John Manché: 'up to believers whether or not to donate'