A former Enemalta employee is demanding €75,000 in arrears following an “abusive and illegal” seven-year suspension at half pay.

Paul Barbara, a distribution salesman at Enemalta since 1992, was suspended after allegations about irregularities at the workplace surfaced in his regard in May of 2016.

He is one of several workers who had been transferred to Engineering Resources Limited - a state-run entity established in 2014 to absorb Enemalta's workers on its books.

Engineering Resources Limited had flagged allegations against Barbara in a criminal complaint wherein the company requested the police commissioner to investigate its employee.

Over the past seven years, the police never spoke to Barbara and no action - whether criminal or disciplinary - was ever instituted.

In 2019, Barbara had taken his grievances to court by filing proceedings for judicial review of that administrative decision. 

His claims were thrown out over a preliminary issue, without the court having touched upon the merits of the case. 

Yet, even after that court outcome, Barbara’s situation remained unchanged. 

Neither his employer Engineering Resources Limited, nor the police had approached him, Barbara’s lawyers explained in the judicial protest filed against the company in the First Hall, Civil Court.

Given that status quo, it was to be assumed that any investigation in his regard had resulted in no indication of wrongdoing, and the presumption of innocence still held sway. 

In light of such circumstances, after several calls to his employer proved futile, Barbara was now calling upon Engineering Resources Limited to pay him close to €75,000 in arrears of salary, bonuses and other payments made to all fellow workers over the past years since his suspension. 

While describing this situation as “abusive and illegal” Barbara is holding the company responsible for damages. 

Lawyers Jose’ Herrera and David Camilleri signed the judicial protest.