Optician accuses health authorities of turning a blind eye

An optician in Gozo yesterday accused a competitor of issuing prescriptions for spectacles without a warrant or qualifications to do so.

Mario Grech, owner of Mario Dispensing Opticians in Victoria, filed a judicial protest against the government’s chief medical officer and the Commissioner of Police protesting a “flagrant breach of the law”.

He complained that his many letters to the Health Department and the police about Joseph Opticians, formerly known as Superspecs, had fallen on deaf ears.

He accused the top government medical officer of condoning the illegality through his inaction and alleged collusion on the part of officials within the department.

“It seems that in the one occasion the department sent its inspectors it was said that the owner of the shop was informed in advance by officials in the same department that there would be an inspection and so he prepared for it,” Mr Grech claimed.

According to law, an optometrist should be registered with the Medical Council to be able to dispense prescriptions for spectacles, Mr Grech said.

He said he always offered evidence to prove his claims of abuse and added that because of Joseph Grech, owner of Joseph Opticians, he was suffering losses and was, therefore, holding him responsible for damages.

Lawyer Kevin Mompalao signed the protest.