Government 'given up' on fighting crime, PN claims
Home affairs minister says an increase in drug seizures last year pointed to police success
The Labour government is not investing enough in the country's security and has now “given up” on fighting crime, the Nationalist Party said on Wednesday.
Speaking during a press conference, MP Beppe Fenech Adami said many people felt insecure in the streets.
He reiterated PN promises to improve the pay of members of the disciplined services, invest more in police equipment and reopen police stations across Malta and Gozo. The party has also promised to set up an independent board to address injustice within the forces.
Fenech Adami said that certain crimes had increased, including armed robbery, sexual crimes and drug trafficking. Malta also continued to have a serious drug problem.
“Malta is full of drugs, more than 660kgs of cocaine were found in Malta last year alone,” he said. The capital city had become a “playground for drugs”, he observed, quoting a Times of Malta investigation on Malta’s cocaine scene.
“Now we have a government that has given up on fighting crime,” he said.
Fenech Adami was accompanied by PN candidates Frank Anthony Tabone and Edmond Cuschieri.
Cuschieri spoke about how several police stations were closed over the past few years. He stressed that community policing should not replace police stations.
He also mentioned how renovation works at Msida police station had still not been completed after four years. The Msida flyover was built in a shorter time.
Tabone said a PN government would create a specialised squad in Gozo focused on drug-related crimes and organised crime.
Increase in drug seizures points to police success: minister
In a reaction to the PN's comments, Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri said in a social media post that the increase in drug seizures last year pointed to the effectiveness of the police.
“This is a success in my eyes. We gave the police the resources and political support to carry out more searches like this. Unlike them (the PN), I enjoy seeing more drug seizures taking place,” he said.