Civil servants who did not achieve the set pass mark in an examination for senior principals were still promoted after this was lowered following the intervention of the Office of the Prime Minister, Times of Malta is informed.

The sudden change of rules, since condemned by the Office of the Ombudsman, took place during the last electoral campaign and the final interviews were held just three weeks before the country went to the polls.

As a result of the changes in the pass mark, some of those who had passed the first written part of the exam with flying colours were not promoted, ending up in a lower position after the second phase – an interview – when compared to others who had not performed so well in the written part.

According to an investigation by the Ombudsman after a complaint by one of the candidates two years ago, 252 civil servants sat for the written exam, or the general ability test.

The rules specified that “candidates must obtain a 70% rating to pass the test” and that “candidates who are successful in part 1 and who are shortlisted will be asked to sit for a structured interview (part 2)”.

However, the Ombudsman found that, on April 21, 2017, when the results had already been published and the number of those that obtained the 70% pass mark was determined, the Public Service Commission approved a request by the Office of the Prime Minister to lower the pass mark to 65%.

Only 89 were promoted from among those interviewed

This meant that, though originally 87 candidates were to be interviewed as they had obtained the set pass mark, another 49 were added to the interview list although they had not achieved the 70% pass mark in the written exam.

To add insult to injury, only 89 were promoted from among those interviewed for the second part of the exam. Some of those who would not have been eligible were it not for the lowering of the pass mark were made senior principals though others who had achieved the 70% mark failed to make it after the interview.

When the Ombudsman asked for a justification, the Public Service Commission, a constitutional office with the remit of upholding principles of merit and equity within the public service, said it had accepted the Office of the Prime Minister’s request because “the number of applicants who achieved the 70% pass mark rating was insufficient to address the exigencies across the public service”.

The Ombudsman felt that the intervention to change the pass mark after the examination process had already started was not on and gave rise to discrimination against candidates who were successful prior to the intervention by the Office of the Prime Minister.

The Ombudsman commented that if there were not enough successful applicants, the PSC should not have changed the pass mark but should have rather “published an amendment to the call in such a manner and containing such provisions as the commission may direct, including, if appropriate, the extension of the time available for the submission of applications”.

Alternatively, he added, it should have withdrawn the call and published “a revised call in such a manner and with such amendments as the commission may direct”.

The Ombudsman made it clear it was not acceptable that candidates who did not meet the criteria listed in the published call were still shortlisted to proceed to the interview.

Times of Malta is informed that the interview was conducted just three weeks before the general election by Christopher Cutajar, permanent secretary at the Transport Ministry, Joseph Stafrace and James Pearsall, a former president of the General Workers’ Union.

A recommendation by the Ombudsman to ‘fix’ the injustice and reconsider the disadvantaged candidates for the appointment of senior principal is still being considered by the Office of the Prime Minister.

The PSC is chaired by Louis Naudi, who had been appointed by the Nationalist administration.

 

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