Ombudsman reports

Reference is made to the report published in the Times of Malta titled ‘More than a quarter of reports by ombudsman are ignored’ (October 25).

Putting everything into context, it is to be noted that, within the public service, an estimated 13 million transactions take place annually across a plethora of 2,000 plus services.

When one considers the number of cases that are referred to the ombudsman, this translates to an approximate 0.003 per cent. By itself, this is already a clean bill of health for the public administration.

Translated into figures since 2018, the ombudsman considered an average of 311 cases annually. Sixty per cent of these finish up without being investigated by the ombudsman. We are then left with 115 cases, or 12 per cent, which have been closed with a recommendation forwarded to the public service. All but 1.5 per cent of these recommendations were implemented. That is a far cry from the 25 per cent non-implementation rate quoted by the Times of Malta. These are facts. The public service’s implementation rate for the recommendations forwarded by the ombudsman is a solid 98 per cent. Another clean bill of health for the public administration.

Paul Azzopardi, Director of Information – Valletta

Editor’s note: The story published by Times of Malta is precise and based on figures provided by the Office of the Ombudsman following questions sent. According to these figures, the number of reports whose recommendations were ignored by the public service amounted to 28.4 per cent in 2018, 16.6 per cent in 2019, 28.5 per cent in 2020 and 34 per cent so far this year. The average of these four figures is 26.87 per cent.

Marina proposal

Both a new yacht marina and a service yard are needed. The ideal place would be the peninsula at Qalet Marku, in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq.

The peninsula offers enough space for putting yachts on hard land and the building of various workshops, which are needed to complement a service yard.

The marina would be sheltered by building a breakwater/s from Qalet Marku tower up to Għallis tower or nearby, a large area catering for future expansion. To complement the above are the various engineering workshops and large workhouses situated a mere two to three kilometres away at Wied Filep, in the limits of Naxxar.

The proposed yacht marina at Marsascala offers too many difficulties as compared to the above. It does not offer the needed service marina. A similar proposal was made 15 years ago but, now, the implementation seems imminent.

Joseph Buhagiar – Mosta

Replica 

Carmel Sciberras’ definition of the English word ‘replica’ (in reproduction) is correct. But the word ‘replica’ is also found in the Italian language, meaning “answer; rejoinder” etc. and is used in our courts when the opposing lawyer is allowed to present his responsive comments.

The use of the Italian word has been adopted in reporting parliamentary debates. Given local practice, it is an understandable link up.

Hugh Peralta – Valletta

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