New Electoral Commission appointed

A new Electoral Commission, which for the first time in two years includes persons suggested by the opposition, was appointed by the President yesterday.

The members of the commission are incumbents Mario Callus, Ena Cremona, Henry Distefano and Vanni Ganado, and new members Joseph Buttigieg, Salvu Fenech, Salvu Sant and Tony Sultana, who were suggested to the prime minister by Alfred Sant at a meeting on August 19.

The commission is appointed by the President on the advice of the prime minister, given after consultation with the leader of the opposition.

Dr Buttigieg was one of four commissioners who resigned in June, 2001, after saying they were not convinced that the electoral register was being maintained, verified and updated as demanded by law. The Labour Party subsequently did not suggest new members and the prime minister went on to appoint others instead.

One of the first objectives of the new commission will be to draw up new electoral boundaries.

Dr Sant at his meeting with Dr Fenech Adami earlier this month had said he had no confidence in the chief electoral commissioner, Carmel Degabriele, because of the way the current electoral boundaries were drawn up, and because no remedy had been found, after the removal of embarkation cards, to check whether people who had been abroad were entitled to vote.

The chief electoral commissioner is appointed by the government and has no fixed term.