Kurt Bugeja Coster
Police complain about miserable refreshments
A police constable hands out food to colleagues stationed at the Bus Terminus, Valletta. Photo: Darrin Zammit Lupi
Members of the Police Corps complained of being served with inadequate refreshments during their long hours on duty during the transport strike.
Notwithstanding high temperatures, officers, who spent long hours under the scorching sun, said they only got a small supply of water and, at times, this was even warm.
"And the food handed out was inedible," complained a police officer, preferring to remain unnamed for obvious reasons. "It was a container of cold spaghetti and a tablespoon of tomato sauce."
A number of officers stationed in different parts of the island were even unluckier, getting no food or water at all.
At one point a number of officers agreed to fork out €1 each to purchase water when this was not served with the small snack delivered to them.
Given the campaigns run by the health promotion authorities, some felt that sun protection cream should have been supplied too. But couldn't this be applied before reporting for duty? No, explained a worried officer, because none of them had been informed in advance where they would be stationed.
"I was informed I was working the following morning just hours before I was expected to report on duty. Or, rather, hours after being relieved," a police officer said.
A number of officers were enjoying their leisure time when they were hastily ordered to report at their station or at the headquarters. Some were also diverted from their regular duties, instructed to wear their uniforms (in the case of plainclothes policemen), and stationed in sensitive areas of the island. Now they also wonder when they will get paid for the overtime worked. "We haven't even been paid for our duties at the counting hall during the general election yet. I wonder when we'll be receiving the overtime earned during this industrial action," an officer said.
When asked about the complaints raised, a spokesman for the Police Force said that, for the time being, the force has no comment to make.
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24 Comments
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Denis Catania
Jul 19th 2008, 13:21
@cbusuttil Positive comments could be good as long as these positive don't get to the head of the Ministers . Most positive comments should be left for the voting polls. I know you as an emploYEE of the government must feel you must pat them on the shoulder, because you might consider that job security. Me as an employYER of the government I feel my Police Commish should have looked out for our police force with simple things like refreshments and proper food . how about a helmet or a shield, but not for a small elite group, but all officers.The police did a great job, with what was given to them by their Boss John Rizzo. But that didn't happen. The police are saying this not me.
J Martinelli, What the tourists expected was what happens in their country swift actions by taking back the streets from thugs, even if it takes tear gas, and clubbing a few. This is why we might lose the cruise ships.
@To our police officers: you must demand proper protection such as helmets and shields for all not just a small group of officers. I'm on the citizens side forJUSTICE.
R Falzon
Jul 19th 2008, 09:54
The police force pussyfooted around on the first day of the strike; then evidently something must have happened for the attitude towards the strikers to have changed rather forcefully from Day 2 onwards. At that point, as matters had looked like getting out of hand, public opinion swung firmly in their favour. And rightly so - they were doing their job!
Now they are complaining that they were not given proper refreshments. No one offered me any form of refreshment while I was stuck in the chaos; but I did buy myself some water. When I felt hungry I bought myself a ftira. At no point did I go public complaining that I had not been given food and water while on duty weaving through the traffic.
Come on guys, if you want to make a constructive suggestion do so but no need to taint yourselves with the puerile arguments that the refreshments you were given were not up to standard. By all means sort it out between yourselves but, by going public, you have just lost a few points in my esteem -- aren't you men enough to stand up and be counted?
A Daley
Jul 18th 2008, 22:23
What have we become?
State of the Art or better still, state of the farce!
Ma hemmx flus! So one has to just lump it!
The administration should be ashamed to treat our officers in this way.
c.busuttil
Jul 18th 2008, 17:16
10 points to most.....positive reinfrorcement goes much much further then negative critisism... it is a lesson most of us need to learn. If we don't have the education or training to know that, all we have to do is think back on our childhood and remember which of the two had most effect on building the productive side of our character
Janice Cassar
Jul 18th 2008, 16:00
How refreshing to hear comments praising our Police Corps for their splendid work in the past week.
A quick click to any of the stories that appeared on this site a couple of days ago will show a myriad of comments calling the authorities and the police toothless, while others said that the boy scouts would have handled the situation better.
How ironic and how quickly does the public's opinion change...
J. Martinelli
Jul 18th 2008, 15:06
Denis Catania, exactly whose side are you on?
If Malta's image was hurt by a few skirmishes, how worse would it have been if tear gas was used and a few heads split open?
You would probably have been the first one to criticize the violent retaliation.
Strikes of this sort, thank God, are rare in Malta and it comes to no surprise that adequate refreshments were not served across the board and this must serve as a lesson hopefully not to be needed in the future.
Thank you Police Force and we are indeed sorry for you having to put up with the bad behaviour of those thugs, the heat from the sun and the lack of refreshments. Maybe the Ministry should make compensation for those who had to buy liquid refreshments.
Your gentlemanly behaviour will not be forgotten.
Alfred Grech
Jul 18th 2008, 13:55
Some comments are either childish or irresponsible. This week the Police acted very professionally and handled the situation in a civil manner without having to use any arms and/or even tear gas.
Policemen are not cowboys but they are humans and one can't expect a human to spend hours trying to maintain order in a very hot ambient, without having some water to fight the heat.
It's about time Malta looks up to the Police Force, show them respect and treat them as our friends because after all, that's what they are.
The huge majority of the Police officers are very good people whose only intent is to help us and help to keep order in our country. This week they proved exactly whom they are and a big prosit and thank you go to John Rizzo and his officers.
Y. Cauchi
Jul 18th 2008, 13:15
I would like to remind everyone that there were also soldiers on duty and some of them too spent over 12 hours in the sun and some did not get anything to eat. No cream had been given to them either
h farrugia
Jul 18th 2008, 12:49
you are police men and not boy scouts. so stop complaining. You are just doing your duty, which to tell it all was not at all satisfactory. I will give them the benefit of doubt as to their intentions visa vis the thugs which roamed our streets. But to ell the whole truth, the police force as well as the armed forces are wholly occupied with the illegal immigrants. So tey are surely quite demoralised. and to cap it all this strike with full violence. 17 arrests are no solution. There were more thugs than police officers. So let's see more arrests in the coming days so as to say that the police force did its duty. And Mr commissioner of Police, when something like this occurs, please take care of your men, even if some of them don't deserve it. It doesn't mean a whole meal but something appropriate for such emergencies. And in the sun a glass of cold water will not go wasted.
c.busuttil
Jul 18th 2008, 11:54
To Marc Flores and Dennis Catanian
how dare you speak in this tone. The police force have been heroic in controlling the situation without using any kind of violence and this is the way. The only way to fight violence is with peace and not with more violence. Their strategy was good, their check points well planned, their sacrifice admirable, their assitance invaluable. We got stuck in a blockade on the Strand and they turned up in 5 minutes and opened the street again. And for your information anyway who spends hours in the sun has right to sunblock. Goverment construction workers all get their sunblock yearly BY LAW!!
Dominic Zammit
Jul 18th 2008, 11:51
Come on next time the COP should give them an umbrella too, with some cold beer. how is that. I am an ex policeman and in 1987 when me and other fellow policemen where stationed at SAG we had to be fixed points most of our time guarding sensitive places, and never moaned like these academic police of to-day. Stand up and show some good behavior.
Rodnick Abdilla
Jul 18th 2008, 11:45
@marc flores why your comment like that about the police ?
missek mort int fdik ix xemx halli naraw kontx titlob dak li talbu huma missek tisthi
M. Schembri
Jul 18th 2008, 11:30
I wonder what the top officers in the police force ate during the strike.
Eric Psaila
Jul 18th 2008, 11:25
These poor souls had to face these thugs and were exposed to high UV levels.
Is it not about time that our police force is treated with dignity?
Offering them descent food is common sense. Supplying cool water should be part and parcel of health and safety requirements.
Whoever is responsible let the police force down as well as us citizens.
Could somebody in authority comment on this shortcoming please.
Thank you
Joe Cordina
Jul 18th 2008, 11:17
It is high time that police officers are treated with respect by there own administration. How can one expect effecient and professional performance from an officer standing in the sun for so long without being releived and give some refreshment.
Good job well done to all those constables, seargents and officers who worked so hard during these difficult four days.
Franco Farrugia
Jul 18th 2008, 11:07
Justice and Internal Affairs Minister: look after your Police Force. The Police should receive all the necessary refreshments and equipment, especially when they are facing such utter chaos in the streets.
Everything must be done to ensure that the Police work in a reasonably friendly environment and that they are adequately paid for their job.
Joanne Micallef
Jul 18th 2008, 11:05
Our police force has been complaining for years about their outdated terms and conditions, many of them are very demoralised at how their plights have consistently fallen on deaf ears. The least they could have done is offer them some decent refreshments which I'm sure they would have appreciated.
valerie scicluna
Jul 18th 2008, 10:32
It should have been pretty obvious that anyone working in the scorching heat would need adequate food and plenty of drinking water so why was this fact overlooked?
How ironic that while our police force who were on duty were not even given decent refreshment, the strikers were enjoying a barbeque in St. james ditch! Hopefully, a lesson has been learnt here.
THANK YOU POLICE FORCE we are proud of you and those who critised you for not being more heavy handed now see the wisdom of the decision.
Denis Catania
Jul 18th 2008, 10:14
Police Commish John Rizzo must resign at once. Only 17 arrests, when the Malta Times showed us more than 17 attacked the PM office. Did the police department forget to buy tear gas.Maybe they ran out of handcuffs. Unless something happens quickly. Letters will be flying to CEO's of cruise lines asking them to keep their ships and customers away from Malta. Because if Malta wants to give these thugs a victory. We might as well give them a full victory.Why should only Maltese be scared of these guys. I guess they rationed food for our forces.
@Malta Times does anyone know what the 17 arrested ate in Jail?
Alfred Grech
Jul 18th 2008, 10:13
Some time ago, I was speaking with a Police officer and he told me that at times he goes for hours without a sip of water or a coffee.
It is not a major undertaking to arrange snacks and drinks to officers who are on duty especially when such duty involves something similar to what happened this week.
From other discussions with various officers, I feel that Police are not treated the way they should by the Ministry. Several of them complain, so it might be a good thing for the Minister to give our Police officers the respect and care they deserve. They don't have an easy job.
Marc Flores
Jul 18th 2008, 10:13
Come on!!! You are POLICEMEN not BEACH BOYS !!
Suncream ??
You should ask the policemen at Marsamxett Harbour who were all sat in the shade doing nothing while we waited for hours in the sun.
HAMISH DEMPSTER
Jul 18th 2008, 09:49
Come on Dr Gonzi is it not about time that you take good care for our police force, who are doing a splendid job bareing in mind of tghe harressment they get all round especially when they have to deal with crooked illigal imigrants & people of shady characters. We have to be thankful for how they handle crooks handling drugs and so forth THANKS BOBBYS we the public are gratefull.
Joseph E Briffa
Jul 18th 2008, 09:40
This is a downright shame!! Why this treatment of Police Officers, who did a splendid job? The Minister responsible for the Police has alot of explaining to do and the earlier the better! If I were an MP I would raise the matter in the house.
A. Farrugia
Jul 18th 2008, 09:32
Now that it's over, apart from a well-deserved applause to Minister Gatt, how about a big thank you to the Police Force? In Qormi, I have seen first hand that it wasn't an easy task for them. Personally, I appreciated their presence and their doing what they were ordered to do.... in that blistering sun, on their feet, dealing with short-tempered (and sometimes unpleasant) people... so guys... three cheers!!!! :)) You made us proud and we are grateful !