A newly-promoted police sergeant-major who drew the Opposition’s ire when he was assigned security duties in Parliament despite ‘colourful’ comments against a Nationalist MP, has been warned by the Speaker to perform his duties with total loyalty to the House and all MPs. (See two comments by Gin Car below)

The Opposition on Monday called on the Speaker to seek the re-assignment of Sergeant-Major Eugenio Caruana because of Facebook comments he wrote against MP Claudette Buttigieg. 

In a ruling this evening, Speaker Anglu Farrugia described the Facebook post, signed Gin Car, as being ‘colourful’ against Ms Buttigieg. The comment was written following an exchange in Parliament between then Parliamentary Secretary Chris Fearne and Ms Buttigieg.

He said he had spoken to Major Caruana and found that he was promoted from Sergeant last week. He was given a back-dated promotion after being passed over for promotion three times. The comment was written before he learnt of his deployment to parliament. The Facebook account has since been closed.

Dr Farrugia said he did not interfere in who the Police Commissioner assigned to Parliament, but he had warned Major Caruana that in his duties to parliament he had to be loyal to the House, all MPs without distinction as well as the staff.  

Speaker Farrugia said he felt no need to raise the issue with the Commissioner of Police.