The Nationalist Party has reiterated its call for action by the government following the Judge Michael Mallia inquiry, which found serious irregularities and law breaches by former and current members of the police force.

Addressing a press conference in front of the Justice Ministry, party deputy leader Beppe Fenech Adami questioned the Prime Minister’ silence on the inquiry and asked why no action has been taken against former acting Commissioner Ray Zammit and his son, inspector Roderick Zammit.

The inquiry found that the former acting Commissioner and his two inspector sons were involved in business deals with the Gaffarena family against the rules of the police force and the law.

Dr Fenech Adami said that through his lack of action, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat was shielding people found guilty of irregularities and helping them get on with their business while retaining positions of trust within the Labour government.

Dr Fenech Adami claimed that instead of removing the former acting commissioner from his position as director of Prisons and CEO of the Wardens' Agency, Dr Muscat ordered Justice Minister Owen Bonnici to retain Mr Zammit in the post.

Shadow minister Jason Azzopardi said that contrary to established procedure, the government has not suspended Inspector Zammit from his duties until disciplinary action was taken against him.

Dr Azzopardi said this showed that Labour was not fighting abuse but on the contrary was denting the government’s credibility to save his corrupt cliques.

He said that both the Prime Minister and Parliamentary Secretary Michael Falzon vanished and were nowhere to be seen despite the raft of scandals they were involved in.

He said the public expected a serious government and not the continuous protection of shady people.

Asked whether the Gaffarena family has ever given any donations to the PN, Dr Fenech Adami said that although this might be the case, the result was that under a Nationalist government, Mr Gaffarena did not get his way on an illegal petrol station.

This permit was only issued when Labour was elected while Dr Falzon struck a deal with Mr Gaffarena on half a property in Old Mint Street earning Mr Gaffarena millions.

“We leave it to the electorate to come to its logical conclusions,” Dr Fenech Adami said.

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