Prisoner advocacy groups have heaped scorn on Government claims that the prison tuck shop is stocked “from local outlets” and said overpricing problems date back almost 20 years.
The Times reported on Tuesday that inmates were being ripped off by their tuck shop, with items being sold at significantly higher prices than in supermarkets.
A Home Affairs ministry spokesman explained the price discrepancies by saying items were bought from local shops at cost price and likened the tuck shop to “a grocery shop in a small village”.
But those claims have been directly challenged by individuals with an intimate knowledge of Malta’s prison system.
George Busuttil, head of advocacy NGO Mid-Dlam Għad-Dawl, called the Government reply “blatantly nonsense” and “a gross insult to the intelligence of The Times’ readers”.
“I’m sure every small grocery would be delighted to have over 600 clients who have no choice but to shop there. It would surely be a lucrative business,” Mr Busuttil said.
Former prison board chairman Mario Felice spoke along similar lines. “Ask any grocer whether they have the luxury of a 600-person monopoly. And unlike grocers, the tuck shop doesn’t have to deal with overheads like electricity or wages, because it’s part of the prison and those are paid for by the taxpayer.”
Mr Felice recalled how the board he chaired always insisted on tuck shop prices matching the lowest-available supermarket rates, “but that hasn’t been the case since the mid-90s at least”.
Current prison board chairman Ivan Mifsud said they had tried to look into the issue over a year ago but had been stone-walled by the Government.
Dr Mifsud said the board had asked for a list of stores from which the tuck shop was stocked, how much profit was made and where that money was used.
“The request for this information was made in writing more than a year ago, but notwithstanding reminders and assurances, was not forthcoming,” he said. Similar questions sent by The Times to the Home Affairs Ministry were not answered.
Offering prisoners low prices was especially important because they had no other way of getting many of the items on sale, Mr Busuttil said.
“The ministry said many inmates could get items from their relatives. That’s absolutely untrue – anyone who visits prisoners knows that they aren’t allowed any of the 140 items on the list.”
Mr Felice agreed. “Relatives can bring inmates clothes or perhaps a radio set. But food, drinks toiletries or cigarettes? They can only get those from the tuck shop.”
Prison Fellowship Malta spokesman Mark Vella dismissed the Government’s explanations as “amateurish” and recalled the “many, many” tuck shop price comparison exercises he and others had carried out over the years.
“We’ve been trying to get authorities to listen for years. My question is: where does the profit go? Are VAT receipts issued? Those in charge need to explain themselves.”
Mr Busuttil said he was fed up of excuses. “This has gone on for too long. An inquiry should be set up to delve deeper and answer all the questions that have been raised.”