According to The Times report (November 15), Mario Gerada was employed as a casual nurse at Zammit Clapp Hospital and is alleged to have resigned or was suspended in April 2008 when he was aged 52. He then instituted a case for unfair dismissal.

The learned judge has now found in his favour and awarded him the handsome sum of €208,000. The judge arrived at this sum by multiplying Gerada’s annual salary (€18,000) earned in 2008 by 11 years up to his retiring age of 63.

To add insult to injury, Gerada was awarded an additional €10,000 for “psychological consequences and humiliation”.

I wonder if some competent person could enlighten me on the following:

1. On his Facebook page, Gerada states that he was working as a nurse with MMDNA from 2008 to 2012 and, naturally, was earning a salary. Then how come the judge awarded him the lump sum of €72,000 to make up for these years for which Gerada was earning a salary?

2. How come the judge awarded Gerada €126,000 for the years to come up to retiring age when he could easily find work in his grade? According to the Minister of Health there is an acute shortage of nurses.

3. According to Gerada’s Facebook page, he was able to buy a Mercedes SLX 2011 model, costing €47,000, and even boasting that, with his family, he went on a cruise to the Americas in the company of none other than Joseph and Michelle Muscat.