For five years, the police corps was not motivated, with many officers thinking that they were being neglected – but now that the election is approaching, the government was in a panic and trying to find ways to please the force, Labour spokesman Michael Falzon said today.

For years the government had taken the corps for a ride, but in the last week two meetings were held with the Malta Police Association in a “desperate bid” to build bridges, he said.

The first meeting was held on 13 February at the Office of the Prime Minister and the second one a day later at Pieta. Both meetings were approved by the police commissioner, Dr Falzon said.

Meanwhile, a statement by the Nationalist Party yesterday continued with its criticism of the Labour Party in connection with a two-year-old tape recording of party deputy leader Toni Abela saying he had brought pressure to bear on a Labour-leaning policeman to not proceed with a case involving a PL club.

The police commissioner has informed Dr Abela there was no case to answer.

The PN said Dr Abela had also not reported the “trafficking” of drugs at a Labour party club. Instead of reporting the matter to the police to investigate Dr Abela had protected the interests of the PL, it added.

The police are said to have interviewed all the persons involved in the allegations of possible drug trafficing but no progress was reported, according to a newspaper report.

The PN said the PL wants to use the police corps as a political instrument. Now the PL is attacking the PN and ignoring the support that the PN government extended to the corps, by for instance, improving the financial conditions of policemen. It said this support will be extended and if re-elected to govern, the PN will make it possible for the police to set up their union, contrary to the PL, which will not be allowing a “house union”, it claimed.