Freeport incident

I refer to the letter by Joseph Saliba, Stowaways Rounded Up (January 27).

The facts are as follows:

1. Freeport security officers were informed that five stowaways were seen jumping from MV Antardus and after chasing same stowaways on the terminal, three of them were caught by the Freeport security and taken to the security gate room at the main gate. The other two where caught by the district police near the pedestrian gate after being informed by the Freeport security officers and the police brought them over to the security room at the main gate.

2. While four district policemen, together with the Freeport security officers, were at the security gate guarding the stowaways one of the police officers started swearing and using offensive language because, he said, he had been on duty for more than 24 hours and the immigration police did not turn up. He continued to use the same language and I told him to control himself as it was unacceptable. He continued to adopt the same attitude and even criticised the police force and the Minister for Home Affairs.

3. Freeport security officers do not expect anyone to applaud their work but leave it up to the authorities to recognise their work.

4. Later on that day I phoned Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici, the Parlamentary Secretary at the Ministry for Justice and Home Affairs, and reported the incident.