Retiring judge highlights meagre pay and large workload in final address

Judge Michael Mallia delivered his final address this morning, drawing what he described as “the final curtain” on his 30-year career as a magistrate and later, as a judge.

Addressing assembled members of the judiciary and legal profession, as well as justice minister Owen Bonnici and PN deputy leader Mario Demarco in a packed courtroom, he lamented the workload of the judiciary. 

“Thank goodness for the holidays, which should be a time of rest for the judiciary, but instead serves as breathing space to write sentences and reduce their backlog.” He noted with pride that he had not left any undecided cases for his successor.

Mallia said he was hurt by reports in the newspapers and EU monitors who, he said, gave a negative picture of the Maltese judiciary but did not take into account the workload of each judge and magistrate and the amount of judges per capita of the population.

He welcomed the new amendments in procedures, which he said he had seen a draft of. These, he said, will simplify many archaic procedures and will help speed up cases. 

In spite of the increase in the number of members in the judiciary, which is now at full complement, he lamented that this number was still not relative to the amount of new cases which are filed every year.

He said that the reluctance of legal professionals to accept an appointment to the judiciary may be because of the weight of responsibility as well as because the remuneration package is “not attractive.” Even though some improvements have been made to the take-home pay of the judiciary, he noted that nothing has been done regarding judge’s pensions, which is a major source of worry for the judiciary.

In fact, said the judge, the amount a drug trafficker subject to a freezing of assets is allowed to withdraw for a “decent and decorous” standard of living is greater than that which a judge will receive as his pension.

Mallia had spent fifteen years in Gozo and upon his return to Malta, had introduced the system of appointments between lawyers and magistrates.

He was appointed judge in 2009. The transition from magistrate to judge was not easy, he said, recalling moments of heartbreak and sadness, when his private life was subject to “rumours and gossip which had resulted in an offer of a promotion being withdrawn.”

He thanked his deputy registrar for his unstinting assistance and research and the other staff who ensured the smooth running of his court.

Mallia also paid tribute to his Assistant Clerk Anna Midolo who died suddenly on the feast of St. Joseph the worker, praising her work ethic and pointing out out that in spite of her massive contribution over a number of years, her efforts went unrecognised and unrewarded.