The owners of a driving school filed a judicial protest in the First Hall of the Civil Court yesterday against Malta Transport Authority (ADT) CEO Gianfranco Selvaggi and the Driving Test Section head Joseph Fenech.
In the protest, Marco and Josette Spiteri, owners of Marco Motoring School, said that Mr Fenech had informed them in a letter dated 5 March that the Public Transport Directorate had imposed a restriction on Mrs Spiteri, who was not allowed to be present during and after driving tests.
The letter explained that the restrictions had been imposed on Mrs Spiteri following “aggressive behaviour” and “interference during the test” between 12 and 23 February.
As a result, they explained, Mrs Spiteri had not been allowed to remain in the car during a driving test, or attend the debriefing meeting held after a test, for a period of three weeks, between 5 February and 26 February.
The couple said the directorate’s decision was unfair, as the restrictions should have been imposed after Mrs Spiteri was informed about the allegations and she should have been given a chance to reply in an independent and impartial hearing.
However, they added, it was not a fair process as it was led by the same person who had made the allegations. Furthermore, Mrs Spiteri was not even informed of the case, let alone given a chance to defend herself.
Mr and Mrs Spiteri said the allegations and restrictions are a form of revenge, because Mrs Spiteri had always said that the running of the directorate should be responsible, transparent and fair to all those who take the test.
In the protest, the owners said that the decision to not allow Mrs Spiteri to be present during a driving test was discriminatory, arbitrary and illegal, causing her students unnecessary tension.
Mr and Mrs Spiteri had also sent letters to Mr Selvaggi and Mr Fenech dated 6 and 8 March but had received no reply.
The owners had filed a protest because, even though the three-week period imposed was now past, Mrs Spiteri had not been allowed to be present during a driving test on 12 March, to the detriment of Marco Motoring School.
The protest was signed by Dr Joe Mifsud.