Police promotions 'are partisan'

Opposition Home Affairs spokesman Gavin Gulia said yesterday that promotions in the police force were being given to incompetent officers "close to the Nationalist government", while deserving members of the force were being purposely overlooked.

Dr Gulia said this was being manifest through a lack of motivation and low morale across the entire police corps. The problem was also being caused by a lack of sensitivity in the assignment of personnel to different police stations.

"While some stations have more than one inspector, a number of police stations are only manned by one inspector who was responsible for district work and on compilations related to court arraignments," Dr Gulia said, adding that it was shameful that some stations were being closed at a time when the number of crimes had increased.

"At night, the police stations in Cirkewwa, Mellieha, St Paul's Bay and Mgarr are closed while those in Qawra, Mosta and Rabat are manned by one to two officers each. This is unacceptable when the population density in the north of Malta increases in the summer months," Dr Gulia said.

It was true that the police mobile squad also patrolled the roads. However the section did not have enough cars to patrol the streets effectively, he pointed out.

While some police cars broke down often, Dr Gulia said, the police force had bought 20 new vehicles that were only used on Police Day for show.

"These cars will be driven during the CHOGM to impress the heads of state who will be visiting Malta," Dr Gulia said.

The Labour spokesman added that police superintendents and assistant commissioners had not yet received their performance bonus due in May.