A group of retired police officers are calling for the reversal of a recent decision whereby a contributory Mutual Help Fund was dissolved on the grounds that the money had dried up.

The officers, who preferred to remain anonymous, blamed years of “mismanagement” for this decision.

The Mutual Fund was part of a larger one, called the General Fund, which is financed through a contribution of €13.98 made by each police officer every three months.

The step was also taken in the wake of a damning report by the Auditor General, who had flagged the lack of internal controls and basic accounting records

One of the benefits of the Mutual Fund, which got an allocation of €3.50 from each contribution to the General Fund, was a donation covering funeral expenses of the respective officers, even after they had retired from the force.

Until 2015, heirs were eligible for a donation of €3,144 if an officer passed away while still in service, or €1,560 if the officer died during retirement. Two years ago, this compensation was revised to €3,000 and €1,000 amid concerns that the money was drying up.

The step was also taken in the wake of a damning report by the Auditor General, who had flagged the lack of internal controls and basic accounting records, as well as discrepancies in the overriding General Fund.

Despite this cost-cutting measure, it was announced last month that the Mutual Fund had to be dissolved on the advice of a committee which had been set up to oversee its administration. The committee comprised representatives from the two police unions, as well as the retired officers union (Marpro).

Officers were notified through a letter, in which they were told that the fund had become “unsustainable”.

However, the officers were assured that they would be refunded all the money that they had contributed over the years, in addition to an amount dependent on the duration of their participation in the scheme.

The move was justified on the grounds that further delay to take such a drastic measure would mean that there would be no money left to refund all those who had contributed.

However, the decision left a group of retired officers fuming, saying they had been treated “unfairly”. They claimed that the real reason behind the dissolution was the “mismanagement” of this fund over the years.

“This is no justice. How is it possible all the funds accumulated throughout the years have disappeared?” they asked.

The officers also took issue with both the Malta Police Association and the Police Officers Union.

The POU president, Sandro Camilleri, said it was only thanks to his union that the matter had been brought to the attention of the National Audit Office in the first place.

“Three years down the line, nobody from the police force has shouldered responsibility for the lack of funds and the fact that no auditing had been carried out for about 10 years,” he pointed out.

MPA general secretary Robert Vella said retired officers were part of the board that had consented to the decision to dissolve the fund.

“The funeral expense donation was not making financial sense anymore, as the sum paid out was far in excess of their contribution. Thanks to this decision they will get refunded to the last cent,” he said.