Jimmy Magro awarded Lm4,000 compensation

The tribunal for the investigation of injustices yesterday recommended that Labour Party general secretary Jimmy Magro be awarded Lm4,000 compensation for not being given work to do at the Malta Development Corporation after the 1987 election.

Mr Justice Lino Farrugia Sacco upheld Magro's application against the MDC.

Magro claimed he had sustained an injustice between May 1987 and January 1988 while employed by the MDC when he had not been assigned any work.

Magro had joined the MDC as an accounts officer and in 1982 he was appointed manager's assistant with duties of assisting the MDC's general manager. He was a director of a number of companies in which the government had a shareholding and also participated in numerous delegations on investment and commerce.

Following the general elections of May 1987, Magro claimed that he had sustained injustices due to his politics.

He was not assigned work, and the new manager had admitted that he was ordered not to assign him work.

Magro's office furniture had been removed, and he was told to use a store as his office.

As a result, Magro had suffered psychologically, and had a depression.

Following this, he had resigned from work.

Mr Justice Farrugia Sacco said the tribunal did not have jurisdiction to examine cases of termination of employment.

But in this case Magro had sustained an injustice as he had indeed not been assigned work and all his executive responsibility had been removed.

The tribunal concluded that it was not possible to order Magro's reinstatement at MDC after the lapse of so many years.

However, as Magro's complaint was justified, the tribunal recommended that he receive compensation of Lm4,000.