Nationalist MP Jason Azzopardi yesterday accused Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia of “losing the plot”, saying he was “in a panic” because he seemed to be obsessed with the Opposition’s criticism.

Dr Azzopardi, who was speaking about the Bill allowing members of the disciplined services to join a trade union, told Dr Mallia, who at the time was not in the chamber: “You ain’t seen nothing yet; just try me.”

He pointed out that in his 80-minute speech last week, the minister had mentioned him by name 44 times.

What were conspicuous by their absence were the arrears that had been promised to members of the police, who were now angry and disillusioned.

Two days before the election, the PL had promised them €15 million but in two consecutive Budgets there had not been a single mention of what they were expecting by right.

Former AFM personnel were being reinstated with the police without any training, prompting Dr Azzopardi to recount a case he had heard of one officer who did not even know how to issue a traffic contravention ticket.

These were serious issues and these ex-soldiers needed adequate training.

The minister was in a panic and his entire ministry was incompetent, fumbling from one mess to another.

With one hand he was giving people rights and with the other he was making vindictive transfers, sometimes as many as two in a day.

Did these incidents instil trust among the electorate?

Dr Azzopardi asked what happened to the Prosecution Unit promised last July, the regional police stations in every town and village, the new forensic laboratory and the introduction of forensic auditors.

Were these just promises to deflect attention away from the former police commissioner’s resignation?

Turning to the Bill, Dr Azzopardi said that the Opposition was in agreement with the concept of trade unions.

However, it believed that three trade unions for the Malta Police Force were too many and this could lead to disharmony.

With regard to sympathy strikes by other organisations, Dr Azzopardi believed that this could lead to a conflict of interest with the police having to retain order during such events.

He believed the Prime Minister should take responsibility for the unjust transfers taking place in the Armed Forces.

Officials who had taken their case to the Ombudsman had been transferred to the detention centres. Three army officers had also been relinquished of their appointment in an unprecedented move.

It was worrying that there were not enough funds for overtime for the police.

Resources were so scarce that they were being asked to wait until January to change the toner for their printers.

Inspectors were being picked up in prison vans, because their cars were unserviceable for lack of spare parts.

This led one driver to quip the inspectors were lucky not to be picked up by the Black Maria.