Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/606717
4 maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 25 NOVEMBER 2015 News 4 News Lack of shame over Debono MPs' 'absolute lack of accountability' MATTHEW VELLA HUMAN rights group Aditus has described the scale of inaction by Maltese MPs over Joe Debono Grech's threat of violence against MP Marlene Farrugia as a confir- mation that Malta is "miles away from ensuring a society that is free from harassment and violence against women." A Speaker's ruling on Debono Grech's threat in the House that he would "beat up" Farrugia de- livered a neutered response to the complaint, by stating that no breach of privilege had been called out and by calling on both MPs to take back their words. Farrugia, a former Labour MP, was said to have told Debono Grech that he was "corrupt" during a noisy alter- cation in the House. But Aditus director Neil Falzon said the interaction of the two MPs and the rest of the House on the matter was "an offence to the entire nation" that highlighted the almost absolute lack of account- ability inside the House. "We are extremely concerned at the comfort enjoyed by MPs that they are free to adopt a language and tone that would be totally un- acceptable in any other context. "Beyond formal considerations of Parliamentary privilege, we find it unacceptable that the alter- cation did not trigger an outright condemnation by every single other Member of Parliament." As an NGO working with vul- nerable and socially excluded communities in Malta, Aditus said that such language was used against clients, staff members, and volunteers. "We are also too familiar with the lack of shame accompanying such bullying and harassment. Yet what else can we really expect, when Malta's high- est democratic institution behaves with such impunity, such impro- priety, such disrespect?" Aditus also condemned the lais- sez-faire attitude of all MPs before an episode classifiable as violence against women and possibly pun- ishable under Malta's criminal legislation. "In 2011 the Commission on Domestic Violence reported that around one in every four women in Malta has experienced a form of violence or abuse. The example set in the House of Representa- tives, a spectacle of a woman being Holds ups carried out by hooded and armed men CONTINUES FROM PAGE 1LAST week's arrests are not necessar- ily linked to the series of rob- beries in the summer months, but Scicluna, who pleaded not guilty, was charged with ag- gravated violence, possessing a fire-arm, covering his face with a mask, holding an employee against his will and stealing €500. The police are not excluding the possibility that the two men held in connection with the lat- est robbery were also involved in another hold up on the same outlet in September in which some €6,000 were stolen. On 5 September, a man was held for questioning by the police following a hold-up at a gaming shop in Valley Road, Birkirkara the previous night. In June, some €6,500 were sto- len by a hooded man wielding a knife at a gaming establishment in St Paul's Bay while a month later two hooded and armed men made off with €4,500 in cash after raiding a gaming shop in San Gwann. In June two men were charged with the foiled hold up on a St Paul's Bay gaming shop. Questions sent to the home affairs ministry over whether any further measures have been taken to deal with the increas- ing number of hold ups have not yet been answered.