The people appointed on the inquiry board to investigate the incidents at Lyster Barracks in Hal Far on Tuesday were not independent from the government and the public sector, Nationalist Party Home Affairs spokesman Jason Azzopardi said.

In a statement this morning, Dr Azzopardi said the board was composed of people who formed part of the ministry the board was supposed to investigate. This made the inquiry one which lacked transparency and independence, factors which were indispensable to such inquiries.

This was also contrary to what used to be done in the previous legislature when such boards used to be led by and composed of people who were not part of the public sector or the government, as in the case of expert Martin Scicluna.

If the minister was really interested in a transparent and serious inquiry, he should ensure that the board members were really independent, Dr Azzopardi said.

BOARD INDEPENDENT AND ACCORDING TO LAW - MINISTRY

In a reply, the government said the board was independent and according to law and made up of people who were competent enough to serve the functions they were appointed for.

Yet again, the Opposition spokesman was wrong because the inquiry was not on the ministry but on the actions taken by the disciplined forces.

The ministry said it wanted to make it clear that it did not want to hold a jury but a serious inquiry to establish the facts and give suggestions of how the adopted methods in such circumstances could be changed.