Raising the bar in public life

Malta may be excelling in economic indicators, with the government wallowing in self-praise over consistently high growth rates, but there is another face of the country that is not so attractive. Where moral standards are concerned, there has been a marked decline across the board, suggesting a growing mentality that life is all about materialistic gains or, as it is becoming increasingly evident, of just making money.

Standards in public life have been declining too and, despite measures aimed at improving the situation, there has been no change in the perception that there is a long way to go before acceptable standards are reached. Which is why much is now being expected of the Commissioner for Standards in Public Life, appointed following the enactment of a law that provided for the new office as well as of a parliamentary standing committee with powers to investigate breaches of statutory or ethical duties of categories of people in public life.

The committee has just had its first meeting, at which the commissioner, George Hyzler, said that his office had already received four complaints against public individuals. Hopefully, his office will be sufficiently staffed to...