The shadow minister for Home Affairs, Beppe Fenech Adami, this evening lambasted the government in parliament over a new Bill to regulate the police corps, saying it did not seriously address present-day realities and challenges.

Earlier, Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela said the Bill would strengthen accountability and provide transparency in decisions. It would also regulate the organisation, discipline and duties of the Police Corps.

Dr Fenech Adami said the Bill introduced superficial amendments which would dilute and create more problems within the Police Corp. This “hotchpotch” of amendments could also prejudice certain procedures in the courts.

The fact that the Police Commissioner would be appointed for a fixed, renewable period of five years was wrong, he insisted. The commissioner would thus have a sword of Damocles over his head and he would be more prone to follow the government line.

The Opposition was of the view that the Police Commissioner should be appointed by a two-thirds majority of Parliament after a grilling.

The present situation in the Corps, he said, is absurd. Police even had to resort to the courts to get paid for extra duties. An assistant commissioner had gone to court to protest over the promotions process.

The corps was rife with political interference as evidenced by an investigation into the release of a man arrested for domestic violence in Gozo.

He also pointed out that former Police Commissioner Lawrence Pullicino was invited for the Police Christmas Party. The minister did not find anything untoward such an invitation.

“It was wrong for a man who personified torture in Malta in the eighties to be invited,” Dr Fenech Adami said.

The shadow minister also referred to the case of AWAS CEO Joe Baldacchino who told ministry official Ludgard Scicluna that a job would be created specifically for Mr Scicluna’s son. Both Mr Baldacchino and Mr Scicluna were persons appointed in positions of trust in the ministry. Mr Abela should sack Mr Baldacchino if he had the moral authority.

Concluding, Dr Fenech Adami said the people were concerned about organised crime which led to four car bombs in a year.

Earlier, Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela said the Bill would strengthen the way the police operated as an organisation.

More importance would be given to training so that members of the Corps would be able to face present and future challenges.

The Bill, he said, also provides for a Governance Board. This would submit an annual report of its work which would be laid on the Table of the House and discussed in not more than one sitting within six months.

The Board would submit its strategic documents to the House Social Affairs Committee.

The Commissioner of Police would continue to lead and guide the force, as well as regulating the appointment, duties and discipline of the corps.

The Chief Executive Officer would  be responsible for all operational and administrative matters, excluding policing. He would report to the
Commissioner.

 

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