Updated August 21
Financial incentives will be introduced for police officers to encourage them to stay on past 25 years of service, Prime Minister Robert Abela pledged on Sunday.
The intention is for members of other disciplined forces, such as the Armed Forces of Malta, Civil Protection Department and Correctional Services Agency, to also be offered such incentives.
Members of disciplined forces can leave their corps and start receiving a service pension after 25 years of service. This can lead to officers leaving when they are still 45 to 50, Abela said.
In a telephone interview broadcast on One Radio, Abela emphasised the importance of retaining a strong police force while also incentivising more members to join the corps.
“We are doing this so the citizen can put their mind at rest that their corps is loyal and disciplined,” the PM said.
Data shows there were around 200 more officers who retired than new recruits joining the police force between 2010 and 2021, data from police showed.
At the time, the general secretary of the Malta Police Association Marlon Hili noted there could be several issues for lack of recruitment, such as the force’s policy to have all tattoos covered while in uniform.
In 2022, data reinforced the trend as the country’s police force had fewer sworn officers than in 2014, a 6% drop over five years.
Important sectors such as security must be invested in, Abela said adding that details regarding incentives to keep police after their 25 years of service will be announced in the coming weeks.
“We don’t want to lose that experience, which is why we will be taking the initiative.”
Such investments will not only be focused on the police as the government also aims to support other important sectors such as health, education and the environment.
Last week, nurses and midwives agreed to sign a new sectoral agreement which will see benefits such as a management allowance and an extra 6.6 hours paid at overtime rates.
‘An opportunist Opposition’
Turning to construction, the PM admitted that more changes were needed. A lot had already been introduced for the benefit of the environment, he noted.
He claimed one such change was the decision to deny an application to build a port including a hotel, yacht marina and a tourist village in Ħondoq, Qala.
Over a 20-year saga, an application to develop a “destination port” at the Gozitan site was filed but was unanimously denied in 2016 by the Planning Authority.
The decision was appealed by developers, but a court confirmed the PA’s decision earlier in August.
Then, Abela had criticised developers who submit applications knowing they breach planning policies, saying such proposals should not even be entertained by planners.
In response, PN leader Bernard Grech criticised the PM for his comments, citing them to be a sign that the government lacked confidence in its own institutions.