Updated 1pm with additional comments from De Giovanni
Labour MP and psychologist Katya De Giovanni has blamed “someone with bad intent” after sensitive and voter information she dumped in garbage bags ended up scattered on the streets of Żebbug.
De Giovanni said she threw away the data in opaque envelopes in secured recycling bags and that someone must have rummaged through her garbage and scattered the confidential information on the streets.
On Thursday, Times of Malta reported how the personal details of a long list of individuals, such as names, ID numbers and mobile phone numbers, were found in bags of documents.
The Malta Rangers Unit said the documents detailed the names of persons a “particular individual” had been in contact with before the election.
Times of Malta later confirmed that the individual was PL backbencher De Giovanni.
Some documents included issues that specific voters in her district were facing, such as “problems with rent”.
Other documents included psychological evaluations of patients. Those documents included the name and date of birth of a patient alongside commentary on “depression”, “anxiety” and “vulnerability”.
It is not yet known how the information ended up scattered, but it could have been the result of Wednesday’s heavy rains.
The proper disposal of sensitive documents is mentioned in the EU’s data protection legislation and the Psychology Board’s code of ethics.
Article five of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) says personal data should be protected against “accidental loss, destruction or damage”.
'Such records are usually kept under lock and key'
Article 32 says the person handling sensitive data “shall implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to ensure a level of security appropriate to the risk”.
Article eight of the Malta Psychology Profession Board code of ethics says psychologists must “take reasonable steps to preserve anonymity”.
It adds: “This includes but is not limited to keeping their record in a safe place, establishing an appropriate time limit for record keeping and taking provisions for the disposal of their records if the need arises.”
Professionals in the field told Times of Malta such records are usually kept under lock and key for at least 10 years and then shredded or destroyed in confidence through other means.
The cost of a basic home shredder hovers at around €40.
Contacted on Friday, De Giovanni insisted the secured recycling bags were put on the pavement by a family member for the waste disposal trucks to pick up as she was unwell on the day.
“It is very clear from the photos in your article that subsequent to this, someone with bad intent rummaged through the waste, opened the bags, displaced some of them and scattered confidential information on the streets.
"The moment we were made aware of waste being scattered on the floor, we made the necessary arrangements for the waste to be picked up from the streets immediately."
She appealed for any CCTV footage to be shared so that “the full story is brought to light” and for the authorities to act against those who have opened litter bags, and scattered confidential information on the streets.
“I have been a warranted psychologist since 2008 and supervisor for at least eight years having also chaired the psychology board. I know the rules very well. No one in their right mind would scatter records in that manner,” De Giovanni said.
Earlier this year, De Giovanni sued the University of Malta for ignoring her call to reverse its decision to deny her promotion to associate professor. She was elected to parliament in 2022.