[WATCH] Former parliamentarians baffled by parties’ U-turn on MPs' pension

Former parliamentarians baffled by parties’ U-turn on MPs' pension

The Association for Former Members of Parliament has insisted that amendments to the Members of Parliament Pensions Act had been dropped by parliament because of sensationalism by some MPs, and the way the issue was reported in the local media. 

Last week the government decided to drop a bill reforming the MP’s pension law after the Opposition suddenly withdrew its support for the bill. 

The law, which the government said was being tabled only to address anomalies in pensions for MPs, would not be able to go through without the consent of the Opposition.

Addressing a press conference, association secretary Lino Debono said the amendments would affect a total of 20 former MPs. 

He stressed that as things stand, MPs need to have been in parliament for one legislature and an additional five months in order to be eligible for a pension. He said it was therefore incorrect to state the current law requires MPs to have served for two legislatures to be eligible. 

Debono stressed that the amendments had originally been agreed upon during the 2008 legislature, when the association had reached an agreement with then Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and with Joseph Muscat, who at the time was still Opposition leader. 

Despite having an agreement with both sides, the amendment was dropped following the controversy which erupted at the time after the cabinet decided to pay Parliamentary Secretaries and Ministers honoraria over and above their wage as MPs. 

Following the 2013 general election, Debono said the association had met the two sides of the House once again and had found the support of both Prime Minister Muscat, and then Opposition leader Simon Busuttil. 

The amendments, he said, had been tabled in parliament in February 2017 and were unanimously approved at the first reading by parliament in March 2017.

Debono was critical of Democratic Party MPs Godfrey Farrugia and Marlene Farrugia who were the first to object to the amendments. He argued that both MPs had not objected to the amendments during the last legislature, nor had they objected during the bills first and second readings in parliament during the current one. 

The association had also met with current Opposition leader Adrian Delia, who had also supported the amendments. 

“Our association, especially myself as the Secretary, would have expected Opposition leader Adrian Delia to have had the decency to inform us that the Opposition was retreating from their commitment, rather than have us find out through the media,” said Debono.

Despite the fact that the law had been dropped by parliament, Debono said the association would continue fighting in what it believed was right. 

Asked whether it intended to meet with the PD to discuss the way forward, Debono insisted that the constitutional court had ruled that there was only one Opposition, adding that the in any case, the PD had already made its position known. 

Being an MP is not a normal job

Debono said he believed that many did not appreciate the effect of being an MP on one’s personal and family life. 

“When a person is elected, for five whole years, 24 hours a day, they are subjected to political work,” said Debono, adding that MPs only received a pension once they reached a pensionable age. 

Moreover, he said there were a number of members in the association who had left their job in the public sector to run for office, and had as a result, missed out on their public-sector pension.

Given the time one needed to dedicate to the job, the association said it believed it was time for the job of MP in Malta to become a full-time job. 

Philip Sciberras controversy 

Referring to the controversy surrounding former judge and MP Philip Sciberras, Debono stressed there was no political interference. He acknowledged that the treasury had originally interpreted the law differently to the association but had then requested the opinion of the Attorney General, who ultimately agreed with the association.