Police officers called in sick during transport strike

john fenech

Jul 28th 2008, 22:15

Denise, who is a friend and why he is a friend? Because he was there when in need! Or putting it another way are the protesters your friends? Friendship is based on trust and respect, not on nationality, race or creed.
My point is that the obligation to protect law & order is the police remit, and when they are called to carry out their duty they must do so without condition or hesitation. Failing to so will be against their oath of allegiance, injustice to their colleagues and a grave danger to the Nation. What would have happened if the majority of the force, on that day, decided to abscond from their duty?
As regard how the situation tackled and contained the Minister is please. That might be because he is privy to information not available to the public; otherwise most of the Maltese think that the situation in the first thirty six hours got out of hand. The hearse association notice to end the strike was pivotal to the return of law & order!
Again thanks to those who did what was necessary in a difficult situation.

Denis Catania

Jul 28th 2008, 15:53

@Franco Farrugia : We can't assume that, a strike is going to be peaceful, this is why the police need to come prepared. Riot gears don't provoke rioters, they deter rioters. Our police need to have proper gear for their safety, and to properly protect the people they work for. Again they did a great job. It's the police brass that let them down. hopefully they learned a lesson(the brass that is)

Franco Farrugia

Jul 27th 2008, 23:40

I think that all comments here are, more or less, saying the same thing, viz.:

1. It is a shame IF a good percentage of Police officers called in sick during the strike;
2. It is a shame that the Police are not given riot gear, or at least some sort of semi-riot gear in such circumstances - I suppose that such gear was not forthcoming owing to the fact that the authorities did not wish to cause any overreaction and provocation on the part of the so-called strikers;
3. It is shameful that the Police are not being adequately paid by the State, and taken care of - and things should be put in place as quickly as possible.

All this having been said, with regard to election payments, nobody has been paidyet, even commissioners, and this is standard procedure of all elections under any government.

I still maintain, as I have said in another comment, that the so-called strikers did not just intend to strike and make that strike noted - they had other plans. On Mon and Tues, the atmosphere was one of total anarchy, verging on a coup attempt.

Denis Catania

Jul 27th 2008, 21:10

@Joe Tabone Adami: I think the police were brave, with what they had to fight these guys with. Look at these guys no protection what so ever. Did you see the video on Castille. They tried hard, but again they had no support. no protection gear and no tear gas. So that's what made them look like chickens.These guy were send out like boys scouts, thats a better word to use than chickens. They had to do it diplomatically, this is why there were so much violence all over the Island.

t. borg

Jul 27th 2008, 17:47

the times is saying that the police are not being paid immedietely for their overtime including the march election and busses strike. can one ask why? who is responsable? what was the highest number of hours overtime done by a single police officer on a single day? is it true what some are saying that some police officers worked over twenty hours straight? one must admit that even in todays difficulties the police under the present commissioner is doing a great job.

Joe Tabone-Adami

Jul 27th 2008, 17:13

On may recollect that the unbridled violence and criminality came about just a couple of days after the Police Force was flaunting its bravery (or bravado?} on the umpteenth anniversary of its foundation. Rather than frightened rabbits, one would almost be driven to speak of chickens-in-blue. Are we expected to somehow accept the Interior Ministry's views that " the Force handled the situation brilliantly" and that "law and order were maintained throughout "? Can you repeat that loud enough for the Marines to hear, please?

Denis Catania

Jul 27th 2008, 17:10

@John Fenech: No I'm not a police man or I have any friends in the force. But being Maltese, they all our friends. This why I believe more protective gear should have been given to them. Maybe the police that called in sick, knew that no protective gear was going to be giving out. if this was a big country and the PM office was attacked, this would have been allover CNN. The question would have been. How can this happen? Most Maltese don't feel that anything is wrong with attacking Castille. I've seen armored trucks in Paceville, why not in front of Castille. I see SAG in Paceville, yet none in font of Castille on July 14th 2008. We lacked leadership within our police force on that day. Look at this picture, these poor officers are sitting ducks. You see protesters behind them, this should not be allowed.

john fenech

Jul 27th 2008, 15:54

Denise I didn’t know that the police reporting sick were clairvoyants, because their request for absence was before the event. I might conclude that you are a policeman or have a friend in the corps and so you are extending your comradeship to your friends. There is nothing wrong to support your friends, but not for the wrong reasons!
The police duty is to protect the citizens and not vice versa. If the coordination or deployment was in question, the absence of the police on call would have increased the problem.
Such statements will only harm the corps and do nothing to enhance its image. It diminishes the effort put by the police during the four day strike.

Denis Catania

Jul 27th 2008, 14:22

There was no law and order, only 17 arrests were made. There was more attacking Castille alone. Although the police did a heroic job. Personally I don't blame anybody who called in sick. When there was no protection for the police. Do you see any helmets in this picture, any clubs and shields. Come on this is a way to protect the police. We have a Mickey Mouse police commish, and the punishments show that.

john fenech

Jul 27th 2008, 13:06

The allegedly 100 sick police officers have to be considered as a percentage of the contingent required on that day. For argument sake let say that the number called were 800, therefore more than 12% reported sick on that day!
On the other hand 100 represent 5% of the corps! Is this normal?
Due to the events of the day one tends to be sceptic how genuine were the sickness. On the other hand it is naive or arrogant the assertion that they have a right to be sick. Sickness isn’t a right but a condition either physical or psychological.
Right is the obligation to carry out your duty, right is not to put your colleague under undue pressure, wrong is to shrink from doing your duty.
If the allegation is the truth, on top of other happenings, then the Minister and the Commissioner have to rewrite the book in order to get the public trust. Since the good work carried out by the corps is being cancelled by the corrupt behaviour of the few. This is sad because I am sure that there are those within the corps who are doing a sterling service to the country

Renato J. Costigan

Jul 27th 2008, 11:11

I fully agree with the comments made by the ministry's spokesman
for Home Affairs. The police up to a certain point have done their utmost.
They have to do their duty carefully because otherwise they finish as
we say in Maltese 'f'halq in-nies'.

WELL DONE TO ALL THE FORCE.

Joseph Schembri

Jul 27th 2008, 10:23

It is not for the police to decide whether information is of news value or not but for journalists and their editors!

Franco Farrugia

Jul 27th 2008, 10:10

'What matters is that during the public transport strike, the (force) handled the situation brilliantly, ensured law and order were maintained throughout, and speedily brought to justice those who acted illegally."'
'Brilliantly'? I doubt whether the public believes so.
'Ensured law and order'? Not always, certainly. How can you say this if there were soldiers driving emergency transport who were attacked and overpowered????? Facts state otherwise!
'Speedily brought to justice'? By acquitting them or giving them suspended sentences? Hardly.