Labour Leader Joseph Muscat yesterday called for a “public investigation” into the recruitment of Pakistani nurses who were employed by the government under “shocking conditions”.

The nurses were recruited by a local agent and Dr Muscat said it has now emerged that the interviews were carried out by a high ranking official within the health department at the agent’s house.

“I’m calling for a public investigation – if proven, this is a very serious case of the highest gravity. I have the names – even of the person who carried out the interviews – and the government has to open an investigation,” Dr Muscat said during a political meeting at the Labour Party headquarters in Ħamrun.Late last month, The Times reported that the first group of nurses employed to plug staff shortages were possibly being exploited by a company that was demanding a fee from their salary.

The “agent”, who purported to act as a conduit between the nurses and the hospital, expected each nurse to pay him as much as €3,000 in management fees while employed in Malta.

Referring to a report yesterday carried by the Labour Party’s weekly Kulħadd, Dr Muscat pointed out that 33 out of the 35 shortlisted in a government call for nurses hailed from Pakistan, with the exception of the first person who was Maltese and highly qualified, and another foreigner.

He queried whether the nurses “were pushed” onto the list and in return they forked out part of their salary to the agent.

The Health Ministry pointed out that it had requested a police investigation, which was ongoing, as soon it was alerted about the case.

However, it was clear that the Labour Party was playing a “dirty game” to damage the ministry’s positive record, it said.

At this stage, the newspaper should pass on all the information it has to the police for justice to be done, it added.

To mark Mother’s Day, which fell yesterday, Dr Muscat greeted all mothers, including those who wished to have children but had not been successful.

“They are still mothers, even though it must not be an easy day for them,” he said.

He reiterated the need for a “modern” law on assisted procreation, including in vitro fertilisation, which made it available to all – especially couples who could not to afford it privately.

“The opposition and the government found a compromise on IVF but we must keep on working to make it available to all,” he said.

Mater Dei Hospital had specific labs for IVF that were not being used because of lack of legislation.

“Each day that we drag our feet is a day stolen from women who want to become mothers,” Dr Muscat said.

Turning to the controversial €6,000 ministerial raise, Dr Muscat pointed out that not only did Cabinet members take an extra weekly raise but tried to drag him into it.

“They tried to get me into it as I meant to take it (the raise). However, as everyone knows, I never knew about it and never received it.

“At the end of the day, the government isn’t keeping them back from me but from all the charities we were going to donate them to,” he said.

Speaking about the upcoming divorce referendum, Dr Muscat said it was going to be difficult, if not impossible, for it to pass but he would continue to speak in favour while the party would allow its supporters to vote according to their conscience.

He was going to vote in favour with a “serene conscience” because he felt he could not decide for others.

Political parties should remain out of the issue to allow people to speak freely, he said, while encouraging people to go out and vote according to their conscience.