Malta’s Ombudsman has criticised the country’s Public Service, saying that it needed to regain the virtues of meritocracy, professionalism, efficiency and loyalty to the Government of the day.
Delivering his final annual report to Parliament, Ombudsman Anthony Mifsud said public officers should provide a service that was in all instances administratively correct and not politically or otherwise convenient.
“These are the traditional standards that permeated the Public Service and which the country has had the good fortune to enjoy for decades,” Mr Mifsud (pictured) said.
“Much has been lost and in some respects these virtues have been severely dented,” he said.
“Much needs to be done to regain and restore them to the desired level.”
Mr Misfud, who was engaged in a long-running dispute with the recently retired Head of the Public Service, Mario Cutajar, complained that while investigations by his office required timely and correct information on administrative decisions, such information had been lacking from the public administration.
“Regrettably there is a growing perception that this duty is not generally adequately recognised by the public administration… it remains the duty of the Office of the Ombudsman to continue to highlight these failings that undermine the right of the citizen to a good public administration,” the Ombudsman said.
Mr Mifsud’s own term as Ombudsman has expired and he is not seeking reappointment.
So far no replacement has been named.
Valetta, 3 June 2022
