After six days of silence, Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia is tonight expected to give Parliament an explanation why the police commissioner was replaced.

Former commissioner Peter Paul Zammit stepped down “by mutual consent” last week and was given the new role of security coordinator for national events.

The way the change was made added to the controversy

So far, the government has kept its silence on the developments that saw the police force get its third commissioner in just over a year and questions sent to the Home Affairs Ministry and the Office of the Prime Minister remained unanswered.

“All your questions will be addressed in Minister Manuel Mallia’s ministerial statement this Wednesday,” was the reply this newspaper received to questions.

A spokesman for the OPM insisted that it was always the government’s intention to nominate a national security coordinator “in view of the important events taking place in this legislature”, when asked why the role was created to accommodate the former commissioner if the government had no trust in him.

Mr Zammit was replaced by former assistant commissioner Ray Zammit, a veteran, who was given the post on an acting basis.

The lack of explanation that accompanied the change last week came in for criticism from the Opposition and Times of Malta columnist Lino Spiteri, who called on the government to remove the “ambiguity” surrounding this top post.

“The way the change was made added to the controversy,” Mr Spiteri argued on Monday.

He added that the acting role given to Mr Zammit further contributed to the uncertainty.

On Sunday, during the Mass commemorating departed police officers at the Addolorata Cemetery, both Dr Mallia and Mr Zammit declined to comment on the developments pending the ministerial statement.

Unanswered questions

• What are the reasons for Peter Paul Zammit’s removal?

• What incidents, if any, prompted the government to go for a changing of the guard at the top of the police force?

• Why appoint an Acting Police Commissioner and not a Police Commissioner?

• Has Ray Zammit been given a specific term of appointment pending the choice of a Police Commissioner?

• Why create the role of National Security coordinator to accommodate Peter Paul Zammit if the government had no trust in him?

• What is the need for this new role paid out of taxpayer’s money?

ksansone@timesofmalta.com