GRTU disappointed by court decision on pharmacy transfer

The GRTU has expressed its disappointment over an Appeals Court judgement which found in favour of the transfer of Chemimart pharmacy to temporary premises in Republic Street. It also criticised the actions of the Superintendent of Public Health on the issue.

The appeal had been filed by the Chamber of Pharmacists and the GRTU.

"The Attorney General and the Superintendent of Public Health's failure to appeal from a decision that effectively emasculates the same Superintendent's competent authority, raises serious doubts as to the motivation of their actions. This is evident in the court proceedings themselves, where it was rather obvious that the authorities were opposing GRTU and the Kamra Tal-Ispizjara instead of doing their professional duty and defending the case instituted against them by the plaintiff. This action, or lack of it, by the AG and the Superintendent of Public Health, leaves much to be desired," the GRTU said.

"This means that the Superintendent of Public Health failed to deliver what he was entrusted by law to do. Instead he resorted to the courts for a decision that he should have taken himself."

It said it was now clear that there were serious doubts as to the motivation of both the AG and the Superintendent of Public Health in this case, their apparent lack of judgment, and their 'poor defence' of the regulations governing pharmacies.

"This whole episode amply demonstrates that there is no gentlemanly behaviour when it comes to agreements signed by government with the the social partners. The government, by means of the AG's intransigence, and using him as a proxy, tried to break the POYC / Pharmacy licence agreement. It is now up to those who have taken this decision to shoulder the consequences," the GRTU said.

"No amount of hiding behind the skirts of the Court will convince us otherwise. The proof of the pudding is, indeed, in the eating."