The Labour Party would favour a revamp of the way prisoners have their jail terms shortened for good behaviour because this “should not be an automatic right”.
Home affairs and security spokesman Michael Falzon said the remission system, whereby a year in jail translates into nine months, needed to be revised because it had become “nearly automatic” rather that based on good behaviour.
He echoed his leader, Joseph Muscat, in questioning how convicted double murderer Charles Muscat, known as Il-Pips, benefitted from remission for good behaviour even though he is awaiting trial for allegedly being one of the masterminds of a plan to import a big amount of drugs. The trial by jury in this case had still not been held although the compilation of evidence was concluded 10 years ago, Dr Falzon said, calling for an “overhaul of the administration of justice”.
He said that while the PL was not against the principle of remission, it favoured a revamp of the system.
Asked why the party had not spoken up before, when other criminals benefitted from remission, Dr Falzon’s reply was that “two wrongs don’t make a right”.
Dr Falzon listed a number of “systematic incidents”, which, he said, were forming “a worrying pattern” in terms of security. Among them, he said, was the safety and security “disaster” in Paceville. The solution there, he said, was not to impose stop leave for policemen, as he said had been suggested, but to deploy officers who were properly trained and motivated.
“... And we must ensure that policemen we send there are not sent out of spite or having their own personal problems, such as those related to alcohol,” he said.
Dr Falzon referred to the “coincidences” related to police investigations regarding Sliema deputy mayor Cyrus Engerer (over computer misuse and circulation of pornographic material) and his father, Christopher (for alleged drug possession), just days after Mr Engerer (junior) resigned from the Nationalist Party and crossed over to Labour.
He questioned the involvement of the Prime Minister’s chief of staff, Edgar Galea Curmi, in this case and his alleged involvement in another case involving a police investigation prior to the last election. He was referring to former Alternattiva Demokratika chairman Harry Vassallo and a VAT case he was facing.
Dr Falzon mentioned the hacking of passwords of opposition MPs, which surfaced about two years ago, and, more recently, the alleged tapping of mobile phones belonging to Labour MP Evarist Bartolo and Nationalist MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando, the proposers of the divorce Bill.
Referring to a report alleging that Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi had fired a missile at Malta, Dr Falzon said the country had still not been given a credible explanation about the cause of an explosion heard near Dingli in June.
He mentioned the mistake in a charge issued against one of the two priests just sentenced to imprisonment for sex abuse. The mistake meant the priest was cleared of raping a child because the wrong place had been indicated in the charge sheet.
The general security of the country left much to be desired, Dr Falzon said, adding there were doubts about the landing of foreign military aircraft, purportedly because of technical problems.
He underlined the need for a prosecution unit to handle cases in court with the investigating police officers being just witnesses rather than being “wasted” in court for most of the day. The Office of the Attorney General, he said, was suffering a brain drain, with many experienced lawyers opting to move into private practice. The government needed to invest in people, he insisted.
Referring to the matter as “the cherry on the cake”, Dr Falzon said one person, Claudio Grech, chairman for the Malta Information Technology Agency, had the data of the country “in his hands” and he was also involved in political activity. Mr Grech has repeatedly denied having such access, a denial Dr Falzon mentioned, hinting, however, he was not believing Mr Grech.
Dr Falzon said Mr Grech “should have had the decency not to be in such a position”.