Making civil servants choose between job and politics is 'undemocratic'

Alternattiva Demokratika yesterday welcomed the fact that an ultimatum to its secretary general - to choose between his teaching job and involvement in politics - had been put on hold, saying it was a step in the right direction, but not enough.

The ultimatum was issued by the Management and Personnel Office to secretary general Victor Galea, as well as to Tonio Mercieca and Mary Gauci, officials of Azzjoni Nazzjonali.

On Tuesday, the Office of the Prime Minister put the ultimatum on hold. But while Mr Galea had resisted it, the other officials had already resigned their posts of senior principal and principal respectively in government service.

"The crux of the matter is that the rules of the public service on this issue are obsolete and have to be completely overhauled, not only for Mr Galea but for all government employees," AD chairman Arnold Cassola said yesterday.

He said that apart from being blatant discrimination against the AD official, the regulation is anti-democratic because basically it would only be lawyers, doctors, architects and other self-employed people who could express their political opinions and take part in politics, while people employed by the state, apart from messengers, would not be able to.

In such a small country with limited human resources, it would be absolute folly to do away with the positive contribution that could be given by so many individuals employed by the state.