AFM structure under review

The AFM is going through a reorganisation of its set-up in order to better address it to the challenges it faces, Parliamentary Secretary Tony Abela told Parliament yesterday.

He said that the main feature of the review was that the air and maritime squadrons (formerly part of the 2nd Regiment) were now operating independently under the command of more senior officers.

The work of these two units had more than doubled in the recent past, notably because of their search and rescue duties, smuggling and illegal migration, Dr Abela said.

The units were now working more closely together and with the headquarters. Cooperation with foreign forces, notably Italy's, had also increased, especially as Frontex launched its anti-migration patrols south of Malta.

Dr Abela said work on the new quays at the Maritime Squadron base in Haywharf is expected to be concluded by March and plans were in hand for the building of an administrative/reception centre where illegal migrants could be processed after being landed at Hay Wharf.

Dr Abela said that while the 2nd Regiment was no more, the 4th Regiment had been formed, taking over the work of the camp commandant and including the AFM Band and the Revenue Security Corps, formerly part of the 3rd Regiment. The new regiment also includes the Command, Control, Communications and Information Company and the catering unit.

An audit and investigations unit and new sections for legal affairs and archives had been formed within the headquarters.

Lt Col David Attard had been appointed to head a new unit dealing with the European Security and Defence Policy and related operations. This would complement the decision taken at the end of last year to raise the rank of Malta's military representative at the embassy in Brussels to Lt Col, reflecting the seriousness with which Malta viewed developments in this section in the EU, Dr Abela said.

It was thanks to the services of these officers and the Lt Colonel commanding the Maritime Squadron, that Malta's participation in the Frontex patrols was so successful. During the period of the patrols no migrants came to Malta, Dr Abela observed.

He said the review was being accompanied by a promotions exercise. The senior officers were in place and the review of the other ranks was expected to be completed by the end of the year.

In line with a decision taken some years ago, no one in the AFM could be older than 55, except, possibly, the commander. As previously advised, on December 31 next year all those aged over 55 would be discharged. At the same time recruitment was taking place every year.

Dr Abela said he had noted how Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg had remarked that the salaries of policemen had increased by 40 per cent. The past few years had also seen new collective agreements for the public service, and the time had come to address the salaries of soldiers. This was a matter which needed to be addressed with determination next year for all soldiers. This would not only help the soldiers' families but it would also reduce the number of trained soldiers who left the force or who turned up for work tired from part-time jobs.

Dr Abela also announced that Vanessa Frazier was appointed last month to head the Defence Directorate, succeeding Joe Caruana. Turning to illegal migration, Dr Abela said most migrants who arrived in Malta left from harbours on the west of Libya and intended going to Italy.

Some 1,780 migrants arrived in Malta so far this year, compared to 1,822 for the whole of last year and 1,388 the year before.

Of this year's arrivals 500 were repatriated, along with 200 who arrived by air and were sent back after their visa expired.

There were currently 620 migrants at the Safi closed detention centre, 112 at the Hal Far centre, 584 at Lyster Barracks (including the tent compound) and 80 at Ta' Kandja, for a total of 1,400 people. Another 1,260 live in open centres. A new tent compound for 900 migrants was being set up at Hal Far.

Dr Abela thanked the Church for accommodating a number of migrants in its properties, despite the fact that many of them were not Catholic.

Since 2002, out of 4,100 applications, 175 migrants were granted refugee status and 1,840 were granted humanitarian protection.

Dr Abela also spoke on how the Detention Services Command had been set up. It is headed by Lt Col Brian Gatt and incorporates 218 persons including 114 soldiers.

Dr Abela said the government was doing what it could for illegal migrants. There was a need for NGOs to moderate their criticism and to rope in their overseas colleagues so that instead of criticism, they would pressure their governments to accept the settlement of migrants from Malta.

EU countries which spoke of their need to receive a quota of foreign workers should be persuaded to accept some illegal migrants from Malta.

EU countries also needed to help the migrants' home countries thus reducing the need for their people to emigrate.

Mario de Marco (PN) observed that two of the main tasks tackled by the AFM over the past year were security for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, which went off without a hitch, and illegal migration. Illegal migration put heavy pressures on the AFM, especially as its rescue coordination centre was responsible for a huge area of the Mediterranean. Its work, as well as the training given to the crews of the AFM's helicopters and patrol boats meant that hundreds of lives had been saved.

Dr de Marco said there was no doubt that the problem of illegal migration, including the manning of detention centres, was affecting the resources of the AFM, more so as the establishment had not yet reached the required numbers. There were also security issues, particularly when migrants were housed in barracks and, hence, not far from armouries. This underlined the need for new purpose-built detention centres away from barracks.

The AFM's participation in Operation Nautilus, the Frontex patrols against migration, had been a very successful first, Dr de Marco said. The operation, in which Italy, France, Greece and Germany also participated, meant a stop in migration while it was under way.

He observed that the past year had seen the AFM preparing some of its troops for participation in humanitarian and crisis management operations headed by the EU.

There had been regular recruitment of officers and gunners. The officers' complement was now nearing establishment levels and he hoped that would soon also be the case for the other ranks, although more recruitment would be needed as 100 soldiers were expected to leave the force next year.

Dr de Marco said the members of the Emergency Volunteer Reserve Corps deserved credit for their voluntary service and there was clearly a need for their number to be increased.

The Nationalist MP said he looked forward to the signing of a military technical agreement with Italy which would lay down the conditions for participation by Maltese troops in EU humanitarian/crisis management missions, along with the Italian military.

EU membership meant involvement in decision making at the highest levels. Apart from the presence of a senior officer within the Maltese mission in Brussels, in 2008 Malta would also be represented on the EU military staff.

The training being given to the soldiers, both in-house and in Italy, the UK, the US and Germany was making the AFM more efficient. In this context, the US decision to restore funding for participation by Maltese soldiers in training programmes was a significant development. Italy was also continuing to provide useful logistical and training assistance in Malta through the presence here of the Italian Military Mission.

The AFM was also seeing the building of better facilities at its maritime base and recently also bought a number of new road vehicles. A coastal vessel tracking system was also to be acquired through EU funds.

He hoped that the review of the AFM structure, currently under way, would lead to better salaries for soldiers, some of whom had complained that their pay packets had slipped when compared to policemen of similar rank.

Concluding his comments on the AFM Dr de Marco said one had to discuss the future role of the AFM. Would it be just defence or defence and security? It may not be realistic to argue that Malta had a problem with regard to the defence of its territory. The main problem was security in the context of law enforcement, counter-terrorism and counter-corruption. Therefore the role of the AFM needed to gradually change to focus on these areas. The AFM should have a greater paramilitary role, not unlike that of the Carabinieri. Perhaps that process could start with the setting up of a squad for para-military duties.

Turning to the institution of Parliament, Dr de Marco said the calls made by the Speaker at the Sette Giugnio commemoration for autonomy in the running of the House should be heeded. The role and administration of the House had expanded, owing to EU membership and the setting up of House committees. The appointment of research analysis had been a step in the right direction but services needed to be improved such as through the setting up of a research centre for MPs to better prepare themselves for the increasingly complex legislation which came before the House.

Joe Debono Grech (MLP) said the AFM was still below establishment levels and equipment was lacking, although improvement had been made in the Maritime Squadron thanks to new patrol boats acquired with assistance from the US and Italy.

Soldiers were workers like any other, albeit without union protection, but the government was treating them like they had fewer rights. They were not paid for working extra hours or for working on their off days. Some were promised days off in lieu which never materialised because of the shortage of personnel. Was it a surprise that many were leaving the army to join the police?

The detention centres also lacked funds and the Detention Service also had a major staff shortage so that there were not enough personnel to guard the migrants. What sense did it make to house the migrants close to the armoury and the control room?

What had become of the report by psychiatrist Dr Cassar on the condition of soldiers deployed with the Detention Service? To add insult to injury, a number of casual detention officers were engaged recently on better pay and conditions than the soldiers.

Mr Debono Grech said some soldiers such as those in the Detention Service were not being advised of the availability of courses. Were participants selected on political grounds?

Was the new structure being created at the AFM meant to create posts for the newly promoted senior officers? When would the promotions for the lower ranks materialise? Would it be only the blue-eyed boys to benefit, as had happened in the case of the officers? A new Labour government would look into the situation of every individual soldier and give justice to those who were passed over in promotions because of political reasons. Those who were responsible for these injustices would also be made to pay.

Mr Debono Grech said those who turned 55 were supposed to be discharged early in 2008 and not at the end of 2007. Had the change been made so that these soldiers' pension would not be affected by improved salaries which may come into force next year? The government needed to be kept better informed of what was happening in the AFM. It appeared that Mepa was refusing a permit for the construction of a sub-station at Haywharf and generators were being kept running on fuel supplied by private contractors at high cost. Why were arrangements not being done with Enemalta?

There had also been a curious case where two long-serving Lt Colonels were removed on the basis that they were not trusted for security reasons. How could this have happened?

José Herrera (MLP) said he agreed with the comments made by Mr Debono Grech about the way promotions were made at the AFM. Major Pierre Vassallo, the longest serving major, had been serving in logistics for five years, performing the function of a Lt Colonel. He had been recommended for promotion by former commander Brig. Rupert Montanaro, yet he was passed over for promotion some five times.

How was the Security Service being involved in the promotions exercise? If the Security Service objected to a proposed promotion, the person concerned should be questioned by his senior officers. It made no sense that a person was seen as posing a security risk because of a report written 25 years ago when the person involved was a police inspector! If this person posed a security risk, how had he served in a delicate post in logistics for years? If he really was a risk, the person who appointed him should resign.