The Labour Party has slammed the Government for spending the last five years “dragging its feet” on the ID card renewal process.
A spokesman for the party said new ID cards would help create a “healthy and correct” electoral register since the renewal of an identity card required physical presence on the island. The Times last week reported that the Government had “intentionally delayed” the renewal process until after the election to decouple the two events.
The issue of ID cards was revived recently after the Government said it was willing to start immediate discussions with the Opposition to update a controversial law that restricts voting rights to people who have lived in Malta for six of the past 18 months.
The law, which is being enforced by Labour, could leave those who study or work abroad for such a period of time without a vote.
Labour has said it would discuss a change in legislation but this could only happen after a nationwide ID card renewal was completed. Godwin Grima, who is responsible for the implementation of the new ID cards, denied this initiative had anything to do with the electoral process.
He said the delay was intentionally being made to “decouple” the...
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