Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/800760
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 19 MARCH 2017 2 JURGEN BALZAN THE majority of MPs who re- sponded to MaltaToday on re- forming the parliamentary system have agreed with having full-time MPs, but not all concur on wheth- er this should be obligatory. They have warned that full-time MPs could discourage people from contesting elections, because they could face financial difficulties once they exit the political scene. On Thursday, justice minister Owen Bonnici and PN deputy leader Mario de Marco's replies on TVM's Xtra on whether they would choose their profession or becoming full-time MPs were somewhat perplexing. While Bon- nici said this choice would create a "dilemma", De Marco said that he would probably choose his legal profession. Out of the 24 MPs who respond- ed to MaltaToday's questions, only one expressly opposed the notion of having full-time MPs. Maltese MPs remain the lowest paid lawmakers in the EU, accord- ing to a study carried out by Eu- ronews last year, taking home just 1.1 times the country's average sal- ary. MPs are paid €21,145 a year, compared with the national aver- age salary of €18,744. MPs retain the right to continue in their profession, but this has at times created blatant conflicts of interest. This was best exposed by De Marco's involvement in the negotiations between government and his clients db Group, over the controversial transfer of land in St Julian's to the company. On the other hand, the taxpayer foots a hefty bill to keep govern- ment backbenchers happy: some 39 Labour MPs are costing the taxpayer more than €1.6 million a year with topped-up salaries from chairmanships and other plum posts. A committee appointed by the government in 2013 recommend- ed a significant pay rise for MPs, with the report proposing that salaries should treble to €59,000 for full-time MPs and €29,500 for those who choose to remain part- timers. A full-time parliament would not only address conflicts of interest and the appointment of MPs on government boards and agencies, but it would also give them the tools to fully focus on legislating. However, the counter argument is that full-time MPs could lead to a greater detachment between poli- ticians and the electorate. Ministers 'already made choice' Ministers cannot have private jobs, so they have certainly already chosen. Education minister Evar- ist Bartolo unequivocally said he would choose politics over his pro- fession. Others like health minis- ter Chris Fearne and competitive- ness minister Manuel Mallia said their choices had been made when they stopped practicing their pro- fessions. Junior minister Ian Borg drifted straight into a junior min- ister's post after graduating from law in 2012. Home affairs minister Carme- lo Abela pointed out that MPs should be given a choice whether to be full-timers. Finance minister Edward Scicluna has been a full- time politician since his election as MEP in 2009, but the Brussels salary, perks, and support staff budget, far outstrip what a Maltese MP gets. Scicluna however said that "what is relevant to Malta is not how many hours you work and be paid in Parliament, but what other work or appointments would an MP be allowed to undertake if any. That, and not full-time or part-time, is the issue." Full-time job could discourage candidates On his part environment min- ister Jose Herrera warned that "if it were to become mandatory for MPs to be full-timers and be pro- hibited from doing private work, you could easily face a severe shortage of certain valuable people willing to take the plunge." Professionals such as doctors, lawyers, accountants and archi- tects, Herrera said, "might refrain from going into politics since they will suffer financial hardship and disrupt their private practices which would have been built over time." Pointing out that politicians have no security of tenure and their stunts as MPs could be short lived, Herrera said if they fail to be ree- lected "politicians might face fi- nancial ruin since they would have to start afresh, something not so easy to do." "To encourage serious candi- dates to aspire to be full time par- liamentarians, the position has to be restructured, granting such MPs financial independence and an administrative structure to back them up in their work," he said. MP wages 'ridiculous' Former junior minister Franco Mercieca, who was granted a waiv- er from the Code of Ethics by the Prime Minister to continue carry- ing out his private practice, while serving as a Cabinet member, said "the possibility of MPs becom- ing full timers should be seriously considered but one cannot expect that MPs accept current salary scale." "How can a professional earning €100,000 a year enter politics to earn €20,000 as a backbencher or €60,000 as a minister?" Mercieca asked, adding "ministers should have the same salary scale as an MEP, while MPs should have at least €100,000." "It's ridiculous for the PM to get €60,000 while appointing a CEO of a government enterprise at €120,000. If the salary is right then a professional would have no qualms to enter politics. Other- wise politics may attract misfits." Former junior minister Michael Falzon, who was hand-picked for a €50,000 job at the Grand Har- bour Regeneration Corporation after resigning over the Gaffarena expropriation scandal, said that "given today's demands I believe that the time is more than ripe for MPs to have the opportunity to become full timers; a choice which I would make." One of the highest earners on the government backbench, Silvio Schembri, agrees with having full- time MPs, saying that this should be part of a holistic change of the parliamentary system, "including more resources to MPs." Schembri earns some €65,000 thanks to his role as consultant to economy minister Chris Cardona and chair of the Parliamentary Economic and Financial Affairs committee. In comments to MaltaToday the 32-year-old economist said: "I agree that MPs can have the op- tion to decide whether to work as full time or part time, personally I would choose politics." Another high earner on the government backbench, Luciano Busuttil, said even on a full-time basis, MPs would still be part of law firms that remain operational during tenure. "We have seen ex- ministers going back to their pro- fession with ease without having lost a client." TIM DIACONO PRIME Minister Joseph Muscat yesterday urged his supporters to welcome a raft of traditional Nationalist figures into the La- bour Party, arguing that several PN MPs have grown frustrated at the Opposition leadership. Addressing crowds of people at the Or- pheum Theatre in Gzira, Muscat said that the state of play within the Opposition re- sembles the Ides of March, with backstab- bing the order of the day. "The Opposition is imploding, piece by piece, and the consequence will be that more and more people will start join- ing our movement," he said. "I urge you to keep your arms wide open to welcome these new people during this period of transformation of the Labour Party into the natural party in government." He drew parallels with how the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of Mnarja to commemorate two widely different saints – St Peter who had been with Jesus from the start and St Paul who used to murder Christians. "By celebrating both saints on the same day, the Church sends a message to people that it is ready to welcome any- one regardless of their past," he said. "We speak with PN MPs, and many of them have voiced their frustration at having to keep saying and doing certain things that they know aren't right." In his speech, Muscat indicated again that he will not seek re-election in six years' time if he wins next year's general election as he would have come to the end of his 15-year strategy – five years in Op- position and ten in government. "We are now more than halfway through this strategy, and my promise to you is that the successes we achieved in these past four years are nothing compared to what is still to come in the next six," he said to raucous chants of "Joseph, Joseph". Muscat said the country had now reached Dom Mintoff's 'promised land', where so many jobs are being created on the island that Maltese businesses have to hire for- eigners. He said his vision for the next five years will be to further transform Malta into a "cosmopolitan" country that provides high-quality job opportunities and to reach out to people who are living in pov- erty. "In our first five years, we have laid strong foundations. The next five years will be the best period in this country's history." Labour's electoral engine 'switched on' Earlier, PL deputy leader Chris Cardona said that the Labour party has switched on its electoral engine and that it will be ready to kick into election mode once Malta's tenure at the helm of the EU presidency ends in June. "We have completed 80% of our elec- toral manifesto, and I have no doubt that the work we will carry out in the coming months will lend us more support," he said. As the country is heading towards a general election in March 2018, Cardona said "we will announced more investments in the coming weeks, including one next week by a renowned global company. "This government has surprised many people who hadn't voted for us four years ago but who will jump ship next year to en- sure an even greater victory for the party." He accused Simon Busuttil for em- barking on a strategy of personal attacks against anyone who voices an opinion in favour of the Labour government. "He is unscrupulous in his attacks against Labour officials and their relatives, sup- porters, and anyone who voices an opin- ion in favour of the government," he said. "The Opposition is dangerous to Mario de Marco and to commercial groups like DB who they tried to break, although the per- son at the helm [Silvio Debono] had been part of the PN since before Simon was even born." MPs want full-time job but News 'Labour's engine fired up' as leaders rally the troops Labour MP Franco Mercieca said salaries must be attractive otherwise 'politics might attract misfits'