Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1428470
LAST Tuesday, the Standards in Public Life Committee of Malta's House of Represent- atives adopted a report that found Labour MP Rosianne Cutajar in breach of ethics. It was a rare occasion in which MPs from both sides agreed to censor a government MP. Standards Commissioner George Hyzler had come to the conclusion that former Parlia- mentary Secretary Rosianne Cutajar had violated the code of ethics by acting as a broker in dealings with Yorgen Fenech for the sale of an Mdina prop- erty and subsequently not de- claring her income from it. Hyzler had concluded that the evidence he had available, points out that Cutajar was 'more likely than not' to have received a brokerage fee. Cuta- jar has denied receiving the money, but admitted to have received €9,000 in cash from Fenech as a birthday gift. Charles Farrugia, known as it-Tikka, sent a letter to Speak- er Anglu Farrugia, saying that Cutajar did not benefit from any of these payments to him and he had pocketed the en- tire brokerage fee and had also amended his tax return to this effect. Tax Commissioner Marvin Gaerty confirmed that the tax investigation surrounding the sale of an Mdina property which allegedly led to Rosianne Cutajar being paid a broker- age fee, is still ongoing. The tax chief made it clear that he is not able to give any details about the investigation as he is prohibited from doing so by law. Discussions on sanctions are still to be heard. The issue of part-time work by MPs has, at about the same time, been a hot subject in the UK. The other week, Conserv- ative MPs were ordered to back the creation of a Tory-led committee to look at disci- plinary case involving former cabinet minister Owen Pater- son. Paterson was in October found to have broken lobby- ing rules when earning his £110,000-a-year from private sector work. But after a backlash from all quarters, the Boris John- son government performed a U-turn and Paterson sub- sequently resigned from the House of Commons. Unlike what happened in Malta in the case of Cutajar, in the UK the matter has brought up a wider discussion about what MPs should and should not be allowed to do in their spare time while in office, espe- cially if having 'part-time' jobs that involve lobbying. One of the MPs who have re- cently been shown as having earned the most apart from his salary is former Attorney General Sir Geoffrey Cox, who according to the members' reg- ister of interests, has received more than £900,000 since the beginning of 2020 for provid- ing legal services. So now in the UK, media at- tention has moved from Pater- son to Cox. In the UK, the Opposition has called for a standards investiga- tion into a possible rule breach by Sir Geoffrey Cox – after a clip appeared to show him us- ing his MP's office to carry out private work for an inquiry in the British Virgin Islands – something that was described as a brazen breach of the rules. In the UK, MPs cannot use anything that is funded by the taxpayer – including their par- liamentary offices – for outside work; and MPs are forbidden from using any 'public resourc- es' to confer 'personal or finan- cial benefit on themselves or anyone else'. For the Labour Opposition and the British tabloids, any situation in which the rules are thought to have been breached is 'Tory sleaze'. The issue raises interesting questions – especially about the idea mooted by many – that Maltese MPs should be full-time. Does this mean that they would not be able to work part-time? British MPs are full-time but many take up part-time work, most of it without any breach in ethics. So British MPs hav- ing another job is not prohibit- ed, as many seem to think. I have always been against MPs, who are not part of the executive, to be full-time em- ployees. The issue of full-time MPs being able to carry out part-time work never figured in this discussion. If any naive observers think that full-time MPs in other countries do not have part-time jobs or some other declared – or undeclared – sources of income, they should do some home-work. Moreover, this sort of re- straint will only attract to pol- itics people who find it diffi- cult, or well-nigh impossible, to pursue a successful career in society... and the country will be poorer for it. COP 26 COP26 – the Glasgow climate conference – has released its proposed final text. One hope it will form the basis of an agree- ment on Friday night signed by all the countries attending. This text should form the basis for an agreement that all coun- tries plan to sign. It will set the global agenda on climate change over the next decade. Although the document is not final at the time of writing, it gives us an indication of the different prior- ities of different countries, and where they have agreed – but also where they have not. Leaders from more than 100 countries, representing about 85% of the world's forests, prom- ised to stop deforestation by 2030. Trees can absorb vast amounts of carbon dioxide – one of the key greenhouse gases adding to glob- al warming and ending deforesta- tion is seen as a vital way to tackle climate change. However, it is unclear how this pledge will be policed or moni- tored. The plan includes a scheme to cut 30% of current methane emissions by 2030 that has been agreed by more than 100 coun- tries. Methane is one of the most potent greenhouse gases. The big emitters China, Russia and India haven't joined – but it is hoped they will later. Coal is the single biggest con- tributor to climate change. Al- though progress has been made in reducing its use, it still pro- duced about 37% of the world's electricity in 2019. More than 40 countries - which include major coal-users including Poland, Vi- etnam and Chile – have agreed to shift away from coal. But some coal-dependent countries, in- cluding Australia, India, China and the US, haven't signed up. And the agreement doesn't cover other fossil fuels such as oil or gas The big problem remains: any commitments made at COP will have to be self-policed and on- ly a few countries are making their pledges legally binding. 7 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 14 NOVEMBER 2021 OPINION Jobs for MPs Michael Falzon micfal45@gmail.com Rosianne Cutajar