Internal affairs

Alfred Calleja is now gone and many are the stories, facts and secrets that have gone with him. This is not an appreciation for Freddie as he certainly does not need it. I can only say that I am very proud to have been, for 40 years, a very good friend of the man from whom I learnt a lot and whose assistance in my work, when we were colleagues, was always forthcoming, no holds barred.

I feel, however, it is my duty to relate how Freddie's "dismissal" from the police corps came about in 1980/81. A high-ranking police officer had declared that one of the first things he wanted to do was, and I quote, "Now we have to get rid of Alfred Calleja, Charles Demicoli and Salvu Galea", then all three senior inspectors.

He told this to one of the greatest officers and gentlemen in the force at the time, Superintendent Paul Mamo, now deceased. I was informed of this by Paul and so were Alfred and Salvu.

After some time, the Deputy Commissioner, Anthony Mifsud Tommasi, sent for Alfred and told him that the Commissioner had sent him a message to either retire on sick leave, so that he would be eventually boarded out, or else he would have to be dismissed from the corps. I remember distinctly Alfred ringing me immediately afterwards and telling me of the situation and that he had gone on sick leave as of that moment.

Having read what Edward (Eddie) Attard wrote in this newspaper about Alfred and that Alfred was arguably the best investigator the police force ever had but that he hated paperwork, I congratulate Edward on the exact assessment he made of the person. Having known that at the time of this incident, I personally went to Freddie's office in Valletta, where he was stationed, and collected tons of files with the help of the officer sergeant, Lino Sciortino. I spent half the night clearing up Alfred's paperwork. I am not complaining and did this solely to avoid any possible repercussions on Freddie at some later time.

After Freddie's eventual dismissal on medical grounds, and I do not call it retirement for the simple reason that he was forced to do it, the same Deputy Commissioner asked me to call on him and he gave me the same ultimatum he had given Freddie. However, I opted to give them a run for their money and was finally dismissed from the force on grounds of public interest after an eight-month battle. I will not go into this as it is another story.

Both Alfred and myself were eventually reinstated. Luckily, nothing happened to Salvu Galea, who continued serving in the force until his voluntary retirement.

I have set pen to paper lest we forget how things were done under a Labour government and for everyone to be wary of their regaining power because all the threats that we have heard them uttering recently will be carried out.