The new Commissioner for Standards in Public Life, Joseph Azzopardi, has chosen for the second time now to not investigate a complaint over a minister’s alleged breach of the code of ethics
According to NGO Repubblika, the complainant, Azzopardi did not publish his findings and instead “buried” the report.
The NGO’s complaint to the Commissioner dealt with Transport Minister Aaron Farrugia’s failure to present himself in parliament for questioning or to at least make a statement on the day a video showing a pair of Transport Malta officials administering a man with a beating in the middle of the road had gone viral.
In reply to its complaint, the Standards Commissioner informed Repubblika that he has chosen to not investigate the complaint.
Repubblika this morning published the Commissioner’s report in full since Azzopardi had neglected to do so.
“It seems that Prime Minister Robert Abela is succeeding in neutralising the Commissioner for Standards and in turning it into an instrument for the protection and promotion of impunity for him and his friends,” Repubblika said.
Despite having not investigated the complaint, Azzopardi found in his report that the Code of Ethics obliges ministers to attend parliament except for when they are away on work or are sick.
He also found that the House’s Standing Orders excuse ministers only when the Speaker is notified in advance through the party’s Whip.
But, according to Azzopardi’s report, Minister Farrugia was not abroad or sick and he had not notified the Whip of his absence.
Instead, Farrugia appeared inside the parliament building for a few minutes before the session began but remained outside the chamber when, by his own admission, he knew it was his turn to answer parliamentary questions.
Yet the Commissioner decided to not investigate and rule on the matter and, in his report, he put the incident down to poor planning on Farrugia’s part.
“As a matter of fact,” Repubblika said this morning, “Commissioner Azzopardi investigated the case, documented what happened, confirmed the violation of the Code of Ethics, and, contrary to what he is obliged to do when he finds a minister has violated the Code of Ethics, he closed the case and buried the report.”
The NGO said it was crystal clear that Farrugia intentionally avoided his obligation to answer legitimate questions in parliament.
“It is equally clear from the report’s content that Commissioner Joseph Azzopardi wanted to cover it up, when appropriate behaviour on the part of ministers and Members of Parliament is an obligation they have to citizens.
“The Commissioner for Standards is also obliged to raise standards in public life, not lower them.”
So we have chickens running the country and an ass to keep an eye them.
Well actually, we have the Mafia running the country and a Non Job commissioner pension chasing!
Great one Makjavel
Even chickens know the moment for them to lay their egg has arrived. But not other creatures, apparently.
Jackasses are not known for keeping a sharp eye on anything except their fodder, as far as I know;
The PL Chickens all in que for their golden egg and the jackass is only interested in his fodder. The Malta version of Animal Farm.
We evidently need a Commissioner for Standards, to assess the adherence to Ethics and Standards of the ‘new’ Commissioner for Standards!
In other jurisdictions I am familiar with every complaint has to be investigated by the Standards Commissioner and should reach a conclusion and not just bury complaint. Not arriving at a decision is simply just running away from the problem and simply taking a short cut.
Did I hear they are putting a big poster of Lady Justice on the ground floor windows as some sort of weak joke?
… and I fear something like this has, is or will be brought to discussion in ‘government’ committees.
Ghafejn tahsbu li rrifjutax in-nomina tieghu? Mid-dehra ghandu dejn kbir mal-partit Laburista!
Former Judge Joseph Azzpoardi is becoming more and more useless as Commissioner for Standards in Public Life.
ghandna skuzi ministru li jimxi fuq il-passi tal-akbar korott li qatt rat Malta flimkien ma dawk tal-kunsulent li kellu li t-tnejn li huma, flimkien mat-trolls tal muvument korrott, kissru u farrku gieh Malta. Isthu – issa li inthom tithanzru gie kkonfermat minn rosanna li ma thanzritx bzzejjed u riedet tkompli tithanzer. ISTHU.
I wonder if there is a formal Mafia tariff list for appointments to offices and Institutions by this government, based on the refusal of considering cases, cases conveniently judged in favour of the government and cases where the judgement is written by the Prime Minister and/or cabinet ministers/ and or the legal advisors of the cabinet/Prime Minister, for the judge/commissioner to just read out.
So in this case the mafia ‘judiciary’ wins once again.
We are living in a ‘pizzo’ land, or rather a State brothel.
Tinsewx x qal l ikbar korrot joseph muscat li fil hajja kollox ghandu prezz. Min jaf xi prezz ghandu dan il kumisarju tal istandarts il gdid? Bhal ma min jaf xi prezz ghandom il kumisarju tal pulizija, l avukata tar republika,u il qabda heads tal awtoritajiet li suppost qed jidefendu lil poplu ta din l art helwa.