Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/786708
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 15 FEBRUARY 2017 5 JAMES DEBONO LABOUR voters who believe that "there is corruption" in the award of government contracts and in the issuance of planning permits, outnumber other PL voters who believe there is no corruption in these two crucial aspects of public administration. A MaltaToday survey carried out last week has shown that among switchers – respondents who vot- ed PN in 2008 and PL in 2013 – the perception of corruption in plan- ning and contracts is even greater. The survey shows 38% of PL vot- ers in 2013 believing that there is corruption in the award of govern- ment contracts, and 39% believ- ing that there is corruption in the Planning Authority. On the other hand only 26% of PL voters believe that there is no corruption in the award of govern- ment contracts and only 27% be- lieve that there is no corruption in the planning authority. Among former PN voters who switched to vote PL in 2013, 73% believe that there is corruption in the award of public contracts while 60% believe that there is cor- ruption in the planning authority. The survey also shows that a majority of switchers (53%) believe that in general contracts, permits and government jobs are being awarded to people with the right political contacts. Only 20% of switchers believe that jobs, permits and contracts are awarded on the basis of merit. Even among Labour voters only 38% believe that these are award- ed in the basis of merit while 28% replied that these are awarded to people who know politicians. A further 21% replied "depends". News 'Switchers' say there's corruption in award of government contracts Today is there corruption in the issue of government contracts? PL voters PN voters Switchers All Yes 38.2 75.7 73.3 50.9 No 25.5 4.1 13.3 12.4 Don't know 36.3 20.2 13.3 36.7 Today is there corruption in the planning authority? Yes 39.2 83.8 60 56.2 No 26.5 4.1 20 12.4 Don't know 34.3 12.1 20 31.4 Are contracts, permits and government jobs given according to merit or because they know a politician? On basis of merit 38.2 6.8 20 24 Because they know a politician 28.4 63.5 53.3 42 Depends 20.6 18.9 20 19.8 Don't know 12.8 10.8 6.7 14.2 A PA board meeting in progress. MaltaToday respondents fear that there is "corruption" in the issuance of planning permits Civil libel damages climb to maximum €20,000 CONTINUES FROM PAGE 1IF the case goes ahead in court under a defamation proceeding, the maximum €20,000 damages can be reduced to €7,000 if the defendant would have, prior to the commencement of the pro- ceedings, apologised and pub- lished an unreserved correc- tion with the same importance as the original publication or published a reply submitted by the plaintiff with the same im- portance as the original publi- cation. Courts will also no longer be able to slap precautionary war- rants on journalists. Bonnici said that this proposal goes a step further than a recent bill presented by the Opposition, that proposed the abolition of garnishee orders against the press. 'Public figures' in the new media law will include public officers serving the govern- ment of Malta, a candidate for public office, people who "ha- bitually exercise a profession, art or trade", those who take "an active part in politics", and those who occupy positions of trust. People will now also be able to sue media houses and jour- nalists if they feel they have been slandered – with a maxi- mum €10,000 fine. They will now also be able to sue for libel on behalf of their dead relatives – with the law distinguishing between people who have been dead for under 10 years and people who have been that for more than that. The government will also embark on an extensive con- sultation process on potential remedies for people who feel slandered by media reports, with Bonnici suggesting the possibility of a Press Ombuds- man or Complaints Office. "The government is commit- ted to safeguarding freedom of expression and safeguarding the rights of journalists," edu- acation minister Evarist Barto- lo said. "However, rights come attached with responsibilities, as is the case in the most ad- vanced democratic countries in the world." Cardona's garnishee 'an extreme measure against an extreme person' The proposed law will ef- fectively avoid a repeat of the latest controversy in which economy minister Chris Car- dona and his policy officer Joe Gerada requested a €46,000 garnishee order against Malta Independent columnist Daph- ne Caruana Galizia. The two filed garnishee orders – which the court upheld – on four libel suits against Caruana Galizia over allegations that they had been witnessed inside a German brothel, in Velbert, when he was on government business. Cardona has denied the allegation, which is as yet unverified. When asked whether Car- dona should withdraw his gar- nishee order against Caruana Galizia in the spirit of the pro- posed law, Bonnici said that his colleague "had made use of an extreme measure against an extreme person". "Although we believe in the principle of freedom of expres- sion, this doesn't mean that people have a right to spread hatred, and we expect serious journalists to make the distinc- tion between journalists and hate bloggers." Evarist Bartolo lashed out at Caruana Galizia, taking her to task for "attacking sick people, children and disabled people" and for lying about people's private lives. "She has no scruples or lim- its, and I fully empathise with Cardona for taking action after she lied about his private life," he said. "He made use of a law that has been in place for sev- eral years against a person who had exceeded all limits. "[Caruana Galizia] could have contested the garnishee order and the magistrate could have refused to grant it. Nothing out of the ordinary took place…" Thursday TVM 20:50