The right to good governance should be enshrined in the constitution, and the Ombudsman should have the executive authority to demand and be given information from the government, Opposition leader Bernard Grech said on Monday.

He made his comments during a visit to the Office of the Ombudsman in Valletta. The visit was held to mark the 25th anniversary since the office was set up.

Grech said that the fact that many people sought assistance from the Ombudsman reflected confidence in the institution. Its credibility was therefore fundamental. 

He said the right to good governance should be enshrined as one of the basic principles in the constitution, giving the people a more effective means to hold the authorities to account.

The Ombudsman should also be given the right to demand information from the public institutions he would be investigating, with the authority to impose penalties when such information was not forthcoming. 

Grech was greeted by Ombudsman Anthony Mifsud.