The Labour Party has called on the Ombudsman’s health commissioner to investigate the health ministry’s refusal to disclose the names of members of a disgraced selection board.

Saying it was in the public interest to know who the board members were, PL public sector spokesman Helena Dalli this morning said the case should serve as a test case for the health commissioner, whose office is set to begin functioning this week.

The selection board in question was found by the Public Service Commission to have approved four candidates to medical consultancy posts despite them not being suitably qualified.

A health ministry spokesman had originally said board members’ names could not be disclosed due to data protection issues – a claim data protection commissioner Joseph Ebejer rebuffed last week.

Dr Dalli yesterday returned to the issue, saying it didn’t augur well that both the PSC and data protection commissioner had felt the need to criticise government structures.

She also referred to PSC criticism of the government’s direct appointment of individuals to positions of trust. Although she understood the need for some such appointments, the PSC had found that the government was abusing of this power.

“When the government appoints people directly and refuses to name members of a public selection board, getting a public sector job becomes about who, rather what, you know,” Dr Dalli said.

As the country’s biggest employer, the government had a duty to ensure transparency in the filling of public sector vacancies, she added.

“What sort of example is the government setting for the private sector?” Dr Dalli asked.