Patrick Tabone intervened at the General Meeting of Repubblika on Ethics in Public Life. Scroll down to read the text in the manifesto.
- Public Life based on and guided by ethical principles
We all have the right and duty to contribute to public life. Although we do this to different degrees and in different contexts, the part we play, whatever it may be, must be based on and guided by ethical principles.
Ethical behaviour means that we weigh our decisions and guide our actions according to a moral compass and not simply ask ourselves whether our action is to an individual’s personal advantage or to that of one’s family, whether it is legal or whether it is profitable.
In public life, the fact that unethical behaviour is not expressly forbidden by law is no excuse. Neither is it excusable not to carry political responsibility in cases where there is reasonable suspicion of unethical behaviour, even if these cases are not yet proved in court. The presumption of innocence in a criminal sense is a different matter to the obligation of persons in public life to have an exemplary behaviour and to act in a manner befitting their role.
Our expectations with regard to the behaviour of people in public life are much higher than those with respect to ordinary people.
Persons in politics have the responsibility to promote, represent and guarantee the protection of the common good. In order to do this, they have to put aside all private interests.
Repubblika believes that the seven principles for good conduct in public life, proposed by Lord Nolan should be the measure and inspiration for anyone serving in public office in our country:
Selflessness – Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest.
Integrity – Holders of public office must avoid placing themselves under any obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence them in their work. They should not act or take decisions to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends. They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships.
Objectivity – Holders of public office must act and take decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias.
Accountability – Holders of public office are accountable to the public for their decisions and actions and must submit themselves to the scrutiny necessary to ensure this.
Openness – Holders of public office should act and take decisions in an open and transparent manner. Information should not be withheld from the public unless there are clear and lawful reasons for so doing.
Honesty – Holders of public office should be truthful
Leadership – Holders of public office should exhibit these principles in their own behaviour. They should actively promote and robustly support the principles and be willing to challenge poor behaviour wherever it occurs.
Public life in our country is corroded by deep mistrust. The expectation of behaviour that conforms to the highest ethical levels, together with serious consequences for the lack of unethical behaviour, are only the first steps out of the impasse the country currently finds itself in.
Persons in public life have the duty to be an example to the whole of the community. This is why they have to go beyond what is required by law and act in a way that is much more decorous than the minimum required by law.
This also means that persons in public life:
- must not seek to have their money hidden outside Malta in order to avoid paying taxes in Malta;
- must not accept privileges and favours that may create any form of obligation
- must refuse all gifts and donations that are made to them or to persons or organisations close to them unless these are of a small and defined value;
- have to stay away from opportunities to accept roles – even those of a voluntary nature – apart from their public duties, which give prominence to them or to anyone close to them.
Behaviour which falls below the highest standards required from a person in public life should be investigated and documented. The person who undergoes such an investigation remains under the obligation to ensure that both during the investigation, as well as after this is over, s/he is never in a position where his/her interests are in conflict with public interest. For this reason, the suspension of public duties or resignations should not occur following the results of investigations of allegations, but should happen whenever there is the risk that personal interest can be in conflict with public interest.
Even though it should be expected that a person in public life should carry the responsibility of unethical behaviour, and should consequently take the decision to suspend him/herself or resign when there is any doubt that s/he is incapable of honouring these obligations, recent experience in Malta has shown that persons in public life all too often believe that until they are condemned by a court, they can continue occupying their public position.
It has to be said, therefore, that when this occurs, the obligation of all other public person who has the power to suspend or remove the person who has not respected his/her ethical obligations is to actually suspend or remove him/her. According to this principle, a prime minister who does not suspend a minister who has not behaved correctly is not fulfilling his duty, and in the same way, a political party or a parliamentary group that does not remove a prime minister who is not respecting his/her ethical obligations, is also not fulfilling its duty. Morally, the person, party or group become complicit. It is unacceptable that any member of parliament abdicate their responsibility and continue to give their support to those who, prima facie, have not respected their ethical obligations, especially since the Constitution confers the possibility of stopping this type of abuse.
All suspicion of corruption should be investigated in a just way with great attention, and if the investigation reveals the suspicion to be justified, the person, whoever they may be, has to be brought to justice.