The removal of Peter Paul Zammit from Police Commissioner may have surprised a lot of people but those in the know were expecting it. There were slip-ups on his side and he overstepped the mark when making certain statements.
His resignation came on the same day that the media reported on a curious incident involving an investigation by OLAF, the EU’s anti-fraud agency, into a controversial visit to the Bahamas by John Dalli when he was still a European Commissioner.
OLAF head Giovanni Kessler accused Mr Zammit of failing to respond to three requests for cooperation. Mr Zammit insists one request was made and it could not be acceded to because it was not in line with the law.
The government said that by mutual agreement it had been decided that Mr Zammit should no longer serve as Police Commissioner and that he would be given an administrative role, coordinating the security of international events in Malta.
This explanation, if one could term it as such, is inadequate. People expected to be told and, indeed, they have a right to such information given the high and sensitive office involved.
Home Affairs and National Security Minister Manuel Mallia is expected to make a statement on Wednesday, six full days after such a crucial decision was made.
The government should have immediately explained why one of its highest profile appointments stepped down after little more than a year and, moreover, was given responsibility for coordinating the security of European and Commonwealth leaders when they visit for CHOGM and/or when Malta assumes the rotating presidency of the EU.
If the government no longer had confidence in the outgoing police commissioner running one force how can it have confidence in him coordinating the work of a number of entities, like the Armed Forces of Malta, the Civil Protection Department and the Security Service and the police themselves?
Mr Zammit is the latest in a long list of people occupying senior positions who have either stepped down or were forced to leave. Ironically, on the day he departed, the government also announced the appointment of a new chairman at Air Malta. Like Mr Zammit, the outgoing airline chairman was appointed just over a year ago.
This turnover of personnel is worrying factor. Is it a case of the government making too many wrong choices? Or is the real reason incompatibility between the appointees and their political masters?
There is evidently something wrong with the manner such appointments are being made, and the sooner the root cause is identified and rectified the better for the government but, even more so, the country.
Another issue raised by Mr Zammit’s resignation is the future of the police force. It is now being run by an Acting Police Commissioner, Ray Zammit, a long-serving officer who has risen through the ranks. Why acting?
The government speaks of a reorganisation at different levels of police operations. Even here, it is being vague in what it says.
What does it mean by a reorganisation at all levels? Should the government not have named a police commissioner proper rather than an acting one if it seriously wants to set a thorough reorganisation in process?
One would hope that the government will learn from its mistakes when making appointments or realise what it means to entrust people to run important State or State-owned bodies. So far there is absolutely no sign of that penny dropping.