Judge Emeritus Lawrence Quintano reappointed as Chair of Permanent Commission Against Corruption
Judge Emeritus Lawrence Quintano has been reappointed for his third consecutive term as the Chairperson of the Permanent Commission Against Corruption.Parliament on Monday voted unanimously in favour of the reappointment of Quintano as head of the Co
Judge Emeritus Lawrence Quintano has been reappointed for his third consecutive term as the Chairperson of the Permanent Commission Against Corruption.
Parliament on Monday voted unanimously in favour of the reappointment of Quintano as head of the Commission.
This will be his third consecutive term after he was first appointed on September 2014, and reappointed on September 2019 for a period of five years.
Justice Minister Jonathan Attard said that Quintano has all the credentials, experience and expertise, and is well-prepared to continue leading the Commission with maturity, responsibility, and the balance needed, and government is committed to strengthening its resources.
He said that investments have been made to provide the entity with the necessary funds and resources to function better.
Consequently, as part of the commitments established in Malta's Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP), continuous efforts are being made to implement measures related to the PCAC, Attard said.
This includes adopting a three-year budget and human resources plan to increase human resources aiming to strengthen the organisational capacity of the PCAC and to launch an outreach process through informative sessions/communication programs for the general public about the Commission's role, as well as assist Ministries and other organizations in developing awareness modules/programs about ethics.
Another measure will see the creation of a digital register that will centralize information on corruption cases.
Attard said that the design phase of the digital register has been successfully completed, and internal testing is already underway in preparation for the Commission's testing to operate more efficiently.
He said that these measures should be fully implemented by the end of 2024.
Attard said that several functions of the Commission that can be further developed, especially the educational part, which is an important tool in developing practices that eliminate danger beforehand and are preventive rather than reactive.
PN MP Karol Aquilina said that whilst it would be agreeing with Quintano's reappointment, the Commission and other institutions in the country seem to fail to "press on the gas" on corruption cases involving politicians, but rather they "brake."
He said that most corruption cases were not addressed because the institution itself started an investigation of their own will, but rather investigations were instigated by other an NGO or the Opposition.
Aquilina said that the country has "rampant, clear cases of corruption, and institutions which do not act." He urged all those who form part of an institution to take the fight against corruption more seriously.
He said that he was not satisfied with the PCAC's work, as it gives the impression of being an "institution without teeth." Aquilina said that many do not even know this Commission exists, and few cases it had concluded that action had to be taken.
Aquilina said that the Commission does not have the tools and resources to fulfil its role as it should, and this is not a shortcoming by Quintano and other members who have shown great interest in doing their jobs properly.
He said that the Commission does not have officials who could investigate, and those working there have other professions
Aquilina invited government to sit with the Opposition to revise the Commission's law, for more resources and tools to be given.
"We do not want 'on-paper' institutions, but ones which have enough strength and interest to act immediately," Aquilina said, adding that the PN is ready to discuss and suggest solutions on how the Commission could be more effective.
Aquilina said that the culture in Malta is that when people witness corruption, they remain quiet. He said that society must speak up if they see something wrong.
"We need institutions where if someone comes to report any corruption, the institution itself investigate, and gather information and truth. This is the culture we want in the country, a culture of people who speak against corruption," Aquilina said.
Aquilina also said that the two-thirds majority appointment should be extended to the Police Commissioner, as since the PN presented its motion, government has been "totally silent."
Parliament voted in favour of the re-appointment.
Related
Share this page
Guest Posts by Easy Branches
