Mr Justice Silvio Meli yesterday in the first hall of the civil court, ordered the payment of €208,000 in compensation by the Chief Government Medical Officer to a nurse for unjust dismissal in 2008.
Mario Gerada had also requested reinstatement in his job but the court said the request was superceded because time had passed and the request was no longer relevant. The CGMO is expected to appeal.
The government had pleaded there had been complaints about Gerada’s behaviour so much so that there were shortcomings which could directly affect patients. Gerada denied this, saying he had never been informed of any complaints about him.
The court said that perhaps there had been some complaints, but effectively these could also have been fabricated to put Gerada in a bad light. It went on to criticise the fact that Gerada, who was discharged at 53 years of age, had not been given the opportunity to defend himself.
The court said Gerada had been simply informed by a letter, on 2 April, 2008, that his employment had been terminated. Gerada said the dismissal had surprised him because he had never had any complaints from his superiors.