A St Vincent de Paul Residence nurse and carer suspected of involvement in the disappearance of resident Carmelo Fino last June have been reinstated within the healthcare services.
On Friday, the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses thanked Prime Minister Robert Abela for lifting the suspension of Xuereb, "the name of all nurses working in Malta and Gozo".
However, a nurses' union spokesperson told Times of Malta Rhys Xuereb who was suspended without charge for six months, will not be returning to the elderly residence because the trauma for him was substantial.
Xuereb will be working as a nurse within Primary Health Care. Belli, a carer, was also reinstated and will continue to work from the home for the elderly.
They were two of seven workers who had been suspended on half pay upon the instructions of the Public Service Commission following Fino’s disappearance. The others are four security officers and another carer who works for a contractor and not directly employed by the government.
They were suspended after an inquiry concluded they had failed to follow procedures resulting in the disappearance of an elderly resident. All suspended workers are Maltese nationals.
Xuereb had demanded a fresh inquiry into the case since the first inquiry was concluded without even taking his version of events.
A magisterial inquiry led by Magistrate Gabriella Vella, is still under way.
Last month Times of Malta reported that Xuereb had requested immediate reinstatement after six months elapsed since he was suspended without charge through his lawyer Chris Cilia. Belli's lawyer, Roberto Montalto, made a similar request to the home's management.
According to the standard public service rulebook, when an officer is suspended for precautionary purposes and criminal charges have still not been issued against them six months after the date of suspension, they may ask the commission to consider lifting the suspension.
The commission shall then ask the head of department for an opinion and will decide whether its original recommendation should be confirmed or revoked, before making a recommendation to the prime minister accordingly.