Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1176480
BUDGET 2020 maltatoday | TUESDAY • 15 OCTOBER 2019 14 The Law-Courts and Prosecution Office The ambitious programme of reforms in the law-courts, undertaken in recent years, has already started to bear fruit: especially in the reduc- tion of the number of pend- ing cases currently before the law-courts. From 26,650 cases in just one year – 2012 – there have only been 22,510 new cases in the last six years. While substantial progress has already been achieved in the recovery of assets, initia- tives will be taken to strength- en the Asset Recovery Bu- reau: including new modern systems to identify criminal assets, as well as to freeze, confiscate and transfer such assets, and ensure that their full value is passed on to the Government. Construction will also commence on a new specialised building, equipped with the latest technologies, to house a laboratory for the tracing of assets, and endowed with enough space to store assets that have been confis- cated. In 2020, work will also con- tinue on the separation of the dual roles of the Attorney General. Parliament has al- ready approved a law to estab- lish an Office for State Attor- ney that acts as legal counsel to Government. The next step is for the Office of the Attor- ney General to assume more prosecution functions, in line with best European practice. More digital technology is required across the board within Malta's Justice Sector. Government intends to ex- ploit the latest technologies, particularly with a view to expedite court proceedings. Separately, government in- tends to promote Mediation as an alternative solution to litigation, with a view to fur- ther redusing the pending caseload before the courts. Moreover, the Office of Criminal Records and Con- duct wil be transferred from the Police to the Justice Di- rectorate, to allow the police to focus more on public order and the fight against crime. Tax Evasion and Money Laundering Over the past year, Malta's efforts to fight tax evasion and money-laundering have been acknowledged by TAXUD – the European Commission's taxation directorate. A report issued last week praised Malta for managing to reduce tax evasion by 8% in one year. This successes is expected to continue in the coming year, thanks to further investment in technology, and increased collaboration between the country's regulatory, supervi- sory and enforcement agen- cies. During 2019, government commenced implementing the Strategic Plan of Action – which identified 45 actions, to be taken over three years, in the fight against money laun- dering. Of those 45 actions, 30 have already been imple- mented in the first year alone. Nonetheless, last month's Moneyval report made a fur- ther 58 recommendations for actions to strengthen the competent authorities re- sponsible for the fight against money laundering, and the financing of terrorism. Gov- ernment's response was to draw up a detailed plan for the implemention of these recommendations by Malta's institutions. One of these strategic ac- tions concerns the establish- ment of a new agency, which shall be known as the 'Finan- cial Organised Crimes Agen- cy'. This new agency will com- plement the Police Force's internal Economic Crimes Unit; to this end, authorities from other countries such as the United Kingdom and USA are assisting in the local im- plementation. In the past year, the MFSA and FIAU have undertaken a number of initiatives and reforms to strengthen and streamline their operations against money laundering and the financing of terror- ism. These include more ex- tensive legal powers, as well as a more robust enforcement capability. Customs For reasons of geography, Malta's Customs Department is responsible for monitoring not just Malta's own borders, but also the frontiers of the European Union. Mindful of this obligation, government has made sub- stantial investments in sohis- ticated surveillance appara- tus. This has contributed to the positive results registered by Malta in the international fight against money launder- ing and the financing of ter- rorism; while also ensuring fairer competition in business. Next year, the Customs De- partment will be broadening its ongoing professional train- ing programmes, increasing its human resources, and also in- vesting in new equipment: in- cluding the purchase of an X- Ray tunnel van, and two new machines for the scanning of luggage. Meanwhile, scanning operations that have proved so successful in the Freeport, will continue to be extended also to the Grand Harbour: a process that has already begun this year. The Armed Forces Conscious of the obligation to ensure public safety in the event of natural or man-made disasters; to reduce criminality and to monitor the country's borders, and also to fulfil hu- manitarian obligations within the context of migration, gov- ernment is committed to con- tinue the process of modernis- ing the Armed Forces. To this end, efforts are un- derway to purchase a new off- shore patrol vessel, built to the AFM's own specifications; as well as specialised equipment for thge Special Operations Unit, and the continuation of numerous infrastructural pro- jects to improve the structure and maintenance of properties used by the AFM. The AFM is also committed to increase the opportunities for further training for all its members; through greater co- operation with educational in- stitutions such as MCAST, ITS and the University of Malta, as well as the Emergency Depart- ment of Mater Dei Hospital. In conjunction with the Na- tional Commission for Further and Higher Educationm work will continue to ensure that course offered internally by the AFM will be accredited, resulting in certificates which are recognised outside the confines of the AFM. The SAFM will continue to be active in overseas opera- tions: not only to improve the level of the typical Maltese soldier through invaluable for- eign experience; but also as a show of support for operations under the auspices of the Eu- ropean Union, United Nations and the Organisation for Se- curity and Cooperation in Eu- rope (OSCE). The AFM will therefore pro- ceed with its involvement in EU operations in the Mediter- ranean. The Police Corps For the police to provide citi- zens with the highest levels of security levels, and to be suc- cessful in fighting crime, con- tinuous investment is required in human resources, infra- structural improvements, new technology and equipment, as well as continuous training for its members. Investment in new equip- ment and vehicles, for both the Rapid Intervention Unit and the Special Intervention Unit, has been committed until the end of 2020. At the same time, work will continue to modernise the motorcycle fleet of the Traffic Depart- ment, while construction will commence on a new police station in Marsascala, as well as a new regional hub that will also serve the needs of the Civil Protection Department. Also by 2020, the construc- tion of a new Command and Control Room will be com- pleted. In order to step up the Police Corps' fight against economic crime, the Department of In- vestigations will start operat- ing from a new, modern build- ing by the beginning of next year. Efforts will continue to employ more professionals in various field, such as the anal- ysis of complex economic and cyber-crimes. In accordance with the rec- ommendations of the Council of Europe's Venice Commis- sion, new offices will be built for the Prosecution Division within the Police Corps, so that the police's team of pros- ecutors can act in full inde- pendence from the investiga- tive departments, which in turn will have more time to focus on criminal investiga- tions. Civil protection The Civil Protection Depart- ment is undergoing a seven- year programme to ensure that it is capable of meeting the demands of a changing landscape: including the new realities of high-rise buildings, and the possibility of natural disasters associated with cli- mate change. The plan looks into Malta's human resource exigencies; envisages the construction of new, ansti-seismic stations, and the purchase of modern vehicles equipped with the latest in civil protection tech- nology. These include new firefight- ing equipment to cater for high-rise buildings; a new maritime firefighting fleet to cater for fires on seacraft; large bowsers to reduce the dependence on private opera- tors for water supply; as well as a new 'eDisaster Manage- ment Systems' (eDMS) within the Control Room, to reduce response time in emergencies. Corrective Facilities An extensive refurbishment programme is envisaged for the Corradino Correctional Facility in the coming year: building on the investments already made this year in CCTV cameras, X-ray ma- chines and body-scanners. This programme will contin- ue throughout 2020, and will be extended also to the Fo- rensic Division in Mount Car- mel Hospital, Attard. Work on this refurbishment pro- gramme will be carried out by the inmates themselves, who will be paid. New vehicles will also be bought to facilitate the trans- port of inmates to hospital, Court, or other destinations, depending on the circum- stances. In 2019, a pilot project was introduced whereby inmates could make use of electronic tagging, as is standard prac- tice in other Eruopean coun- tries. This programme will be extended to other inmates in 2020. Irregular immigration The Refugees Commission and Agency for the Welfare of Asylum Seekers (AWAS) will continue their work in processing the ever-growing requests for asylum by foreign- ers. Meanwhile, studies are underway into the introduc- tion of an Information Service Unit, to be composed of a team of professionals who will assist asylum seekers in their appli- cations, and also to better inte- grate into Maltese society. Work will also continue to establish an Academy of In- tegration, which will offer services to those following mandatory integration pro- grammes: evidence of Malta's continued commitment hu- man rights, and to further the causes of equality and diversity in an intercultural society. Budget pledges 'fairer and more efficient' justice system