The steering committee tasked with paving the way for constitutional reform will be holding meetings with trade unions and constituted bodies as part of a wide consultation process, The Sunday Times of Malta has learnt.

Sources told the newspaper that the committee, which is chaired by President George Vella, is set to convene on Monday for its second meeting since he became head of State on April 4. 

Proceedings appear to have been stalled for some time between February and May.

“Originally, the committee was planned to meet at the start of March but it was cancelled after it transpired that outgoing President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca would no longer be chairing the meetings following the end of her five-year term,” a source said.

The Sunday Times of Malta asked about the state of play of the ongoing talks and the committee’s terms of reference but a spokeswoman for the Office of the President said there was nothing to add to the remarks made by Dr Vella in his inauguration speech.

Established last November, the steering committee is made up of representatives from the Labour and Nationalist parties only. Justice Minister Owen Bonnici, parliamentary secretary Julia Farrugia and former deputy prime minister Louis Grech are Labour’s representatives, while MP Chris Said, former European Commissioner Tonio Borg and Amy Camilleri Zahra represent the PN.

During the first few months, the committee held talks with Alternattiva Demokratika, the Democratic Party, the eurosceptic movement Front Maltin Inqumu, civil society NGO Repubblika and former speaker Anton Tabone on matters related to Gozo.

Very little information has been divulged about proceedings held so far

While the Office of the President would not comment when asked on the manner in which the committee would be reaching out to the public, sources said that both Dr Vella and his predecessor had been adamant that these talks should not be confined to a handful of experts.

However, the experience so far suggests there is still a long way to go as very little information has been divulged about proceedings held so far.

Meanwhile, a Bill being debated in Parliament to split the Attorney General’s dual role of prosecutor general and State advocate has prompted criticism from the PN that the government is trying to amend the Constitution with complete disregard for the steering committee. Opposition leader Adrian Delia insisted that these changes should be part and parcel of a wider package and be debated within the constitutional convention.

In his inauguration speech, Dr Vella had made the point that the Constitution does not describe his own duties as Head of State.

He had also expressed his intention to seek the advice not only of experts and members of the political class, but civil society, voluntary organisations and interested members of the public.

However, he had cautioned against rushing through with “unnecessary haste”, saying that the constitutional convention should be approached in a diligent and cautious manner.

“Ultimately, what matters most is not what we agree upon or jot down on paper, but the will to observe and respect what has been agreed, in the interest of better serving our people,” the President had said.