Police officers doing extra duty at football grounds and as tourist police have not been paid in more than six months, the Malta Police Association has said. 

Officers working as Tourism Police were last paid in July of last year, while those who provided services to the Malta Football Association last received a paycheque in May. 

"This is shameful and unacceptable," the MPA said in a statement. "Although we've often raised this issue, our complaints seem to fall on deaf ears." 

Just last week, Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela told parliament that the Tourism Police pilot project had been a success. Asked about missing payments, the minister said that officers would be paid once the police force received money owed by entities which had ordered the services. 

This justification did not wash with the MPA. 

"Officers have no ties to the entities receiving services. The police force should pay officers regardless and then go chase payment itself," the Association said. "We've ended up in a situation where union representatives are chasing third parties pleading with them to pay, as though police are self-employed."