The government has appointed former AFM Commender Brigadier Maurice Calleja to head a a commission which will consider claims of injustices suffered by soldiers and officers.
The commission will also recommend solutions.
Home Affairs Minister Emanuel Mallia, who is also responsible for national security, announced the appointment this evening during a consultation meeting with the public at the Auberge de Castille.
Dr Mallia said that his ministry has been inundated by army personnel claiming injustices, particularly in promotions, and the new commission would deal with the situation. It has to report within six months.
Dr Mallia said that the ministry has also revised the way promotions should be given in the top echelons of the army.
He said the other members of the commission would be Rapheal Farrugia and Roderick Cutajar. Raphael Farrugia, when captain, was adjutant to then Colonel John Cachia commander of the Task Force before Brig Calleja. He ended his military career as a colonel.
Dr Mallia said that changes in the top echelons of the police force would soon be announced. However he said that Assistant Commissioner Neil Harrison would head the Central Visa Unit.
Brigadier Maurice Calleja resigned from the army in 1993 following the arraignment of his son Meinrad on drug-trafficking charges. He was convicted in 2001 and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment.
Brigadier Calleja's son was also been accused of complicity in the attempted murder of Richard Cachia - Prime Minister Fenech Adami's personal assistant in 1994. A jury had acquitted him.
In 2005 European Court of Human Rights has ruled that Meinrad Calleja's right to freedom and security was breached because of the excessive time he spent in preventive custody awaiting trial for his alleged involvement in the attempted murder of Mr Cachia Caruana. He was awarded damages of some €5,000. His lawyers had included Dr Mallia.
Brig Calleja over the past few years was a court ballistics expert.
In his meeting, Dr Mallia said that the government is currently also reviewing how the police force is functioning including whether the Special Assignment Group (SAG) should be disbanded and whether district level police stations should be set up instead of a station in every locality.
With regards to the film industry Dr Mallia said that one of Malta's biggest assets - the tank facilities in Rinella - was currently locked in a legal dispute which he said should be resolved soon.
Parliamentary Secretary Owen Bonnici - who also addressed the meeting - said that the government should soon be in a position to publish a draft Whistleblower's act.