Government rejects Sant claims on Gnr Matthew Psaila

The government has rejected claims made yesterday by former Labour leader Alfred Sant about the manner of recruitment of Gunner Matthew Psaila, the soldier who died in a training exercise at Chadwick Lakes earlier this year.

It said that Gnr Psaila had all the required qualifications to serve as an officer cadet and it was his choice to serve as a gunner. Therefore, the implication that he was admitted (dahhluh) despite lacking qualifications was unfounded and without basis.

It was also not true that Gnr Psaila had been engaged because of the elections, since AFM recruitment was made every year.

Therefore the conclusion of political patronage was totally mistaken, the government said.

It said it was shameful that during the interview, a soldier who had died tragically was included in an argument over the loss of a general election. What Dr Sant had said also reflected a lack of appreciation of the service of the AFM soldiers in the interests of the country and its people.

PN REACTION

The Nationalist Party in a statement also referred to Dr Sant's comments and said this had been an insensitive declaration by the Opposition.

It said that Dr Sant, in an attempt to justify the reasons why the PL lost the election, had alleged political patronage and implied that Gunner Psaila had been recuited despite not having the required qualification. The facts were completely different. He had the required qualifications, and he was actually recruited after the election.

The PN said it expected PL leader Joseph Muscat to disassociate himself from Dr Sant's comments.