One of the major issues which saw the Ministry in the spotlight was transfers of police officers; and the subsequent dealings with the media in trying to explain them.

One transfer had resulted in a Major being transferred to Gozo and back to Malta in the same day. Minister Manuel Mallia, when asked about this particular situation in May, argued;”these are exigencies of the force. I do not need to explain these exigencies to you”. He later added that the Police Commissioner makes decisions regarding transfers within the Police Force, not the Ministry. Another case that stuck out related to a police women who was transferred four times in the space of a week.

PN MP Jason Azzopardi had questioned in Parliament the transfer of a Colonel in the Maltese Armed Forces who had received the Cane of Honour and led operations in the Somalia Coast. He had been transferred to the detention centre.

Two major unions, the General Workers Union (GWU) and the Union Haddiema Maqghudin (UHM) had promised to combat the issue of multiple transfers, mere days following the Home Affairs Ministry and Police Commissioners'sdefence of said transfers, describing them as; “required by the exigencies of the service”.

The GWU had said; “We will help those who come to us. We will deal with everything that has anything to do with industrial relations.” When asked if this included transfers, he replied in the affirmative. “Yes, we will definitely defend anyone who is transferred four times in a week.”

UHM Secretary-General Josef Vella also criticised the “exigencies of the service” blanket cover and insisted that police officers have their personal exigencies too.“There is surely no planning behind transferring someone four times in a week. It is understandable for these officers to think that someone is out for revenge.”

In May, this newsroom had sent eight questions to Former Police Commissioner Peter Paul Zammit on the transfer issue and received a one line answer in turn, where he insisted that the transfers were required.

The PN had slammed the transfers within the corps, arguing that in June, the total number of police transfers by June 2013 tallied to 251 since Labour won the elections just a few months earlier. Dr Jason Azzopardi had dubbed these transfers as ‘vindictive’.

According to a statement read in the media in January 2013, when Labour was still in Opposition, Michael Falzon who was their Home Affairs spokesperson at the time, had said that the PN Government had made 80 transfers in the police force over Christmas. Michael Falzon had said that this: ”reconfirms how much the Police Corps is controlled byGonziPN's electoral exigencies," further adding that this event demoralised police members.

Judicial Protest over promotions

For the very first time in Maltese history, the Ombudsman filed a Judicial protest against a Minister during the whole debate regarding promotions within the Armed Forces.

The Ombudsman, Judge emeritus Joseph Said Pullicino had said; “the Ombudsman’s office received a number of complaints concerning the above mentioned promotions made by various AFM officials who felt that they deserved to be promoted since they had more relevant experience and qualifications then those individuals who were in fact promoted, apart from enjoying seniority as well”.

“This is when my office kicked off an investigation. The Commander of the Armed Forces was notified of the complaints and was also asked to give his views in the event he felt he wanted to”.

In the protest, the ombudsman spoke of “insinuations of bias and prejudice” made against him. He had argued that allegations that he is not impartial in his investigations are serious, especially if made by a government ministry, and should be withdrawn.

The PN had filed a motion in Parliament on 24 June this year, in order for Parliament to debate the Judicial protest. PN Deputy Leader Mario De Marco argued that “the Home Affairs Ministry is undermining a constitutional institution and is showing that it does not want to be scrutinised by an autonomous authority. This is an issue of national importance”

In response, the Home Affairs Ministry said that it has no problem discussing the legal point in Parliament, as “the concept of checks and balances is a key element of a democracy.”

On 16 August, The Ombudsman and the Minister met, with the Ombudsman saying that progress was made however further meetings are required. Both sides agreed that there was an anomaly in the current law.

Big brother is watching

An interesting issue cropped up prior to the Summer months this year, relating to the Malta Security Services (MSS) and their current capabilities.

A communications company had released information on the total number of metadata requested by the authorities, referring to the location of a device when messages are sent or when calls are made – the user’s current location, and other information about the user, however the total number of interceptions, relating to the content of phone calls, emails and text messages was not allowed to be published.

This media house had sent questions to Minister Manuel Mallia requesting information as to the total number of interceptions made by the MSS since 2009, however were told that they were unable to provide this information due to national security. This newsroom sent further questions asking the Ministry to provide the exact article of law that prohibits the total number of interceptions (not referring to any information as to who was intercepted and why) from being published, however no answer was given.

This newsroom wrote a series of articles on the subject and Education Minister Evarist Bartolo indicated his belief that his phone was indeed tapped in 2011. Minister Bartolo and former PN MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando, who were co-signatories of the Divorce Bill, had alleged that someone had eavesdropped on their conversations. They had called for a police investigation but then Home Affairs Minister CarmMifsudBonnici had told them that the police were not involved.

Drug tests in Corradino

Minister Manuel Mallia had ordered drug tests on all inmates and staff at the Corradino Correctional Facility in August last year, resulting in two prison staff testing positive.

The Minister had pledged to eradicate drug use in prison, emphasising the need for such places to help rehabilitate prisoners, and that this cannot be done when drugs are present.

Heroin and half a bottle of methadone were found hidden underneath a van’s dashboard at Corradino prison, soon after the two correctional staff were tested.

The van was parked in the confines of the prison and is used to provide electronic supplies. The driver was arrested.

The Great escape

On May 4 this year, a tanker whose crew were slapped with an arrest warrant had slipped out of Maltese waters as no patrol boats were available to intercept it.

The Maltese armed forces at the time had declined to comment due to national security issues. The tanker, the “MTAtlantik,” was due to be sold, however.

The MTAtlantik had been performing bunkering operations inside Maltese territorial waters when contact was cut and the maritime authorities asked the army to intercept the 60,000-tonne ship. However, sources said the army could not intervene as its boats were deployed in the Grand Harbour.

The ship was the centre of a dispute between Shannon SA, a Liberian-registered company and the ships owners, regarding the sale of the ship.

According to media reports, MT Atlantik turned off all radio communication when Transport Malta ordered it to drop anchor after the court ordered a warrant of seizure.

An inquiry probing the incident found no fault with the authorities’ handling the incident, arguing that they were asked to intervene too late. Since then, another ship has gone ‘walkabout’.

Marks on your door

This year has been marked with a rise in burglaries in the Sliema area, with weird signs popping up near people’s doorbells which turned out to be signals to other burglars.

Sliema residents were terrorised with the rise in the crime rate, with Minister Mallia holding a meeting with the residents to try and calm the situation. The police believe that an organised gang, made up of foreigners, primarily eastern European, are behind the thefts.

A police station in Swieqi had been opened, to try and quell the area’s crime rate. The area is prone to crimes committed by people returning from Paceville.

The group dubbed the ‘sock gang’ are only stealing items they can carry away in both arms and pockets, as they do not want to attract unnecessary attention, considering that both Sliema and St Julian’s are densely populated areas.

Attard has now begun to see such marks appearing on peoples' doors. In response, The Attard local council reintroduced the neighbourhood watch scheme to try and combat the possible influx of burglars.

To protect and serve

Aside from protecting the public from thieves and criminals, cooking and waiting tables was also unofficially added to their job titles.

During the early days of Manuel Mallia’s Ministerial appointment, a surreal incident resulted in members of the police force being used as cooks and waiters during the European Broadcasting Union Banquet. Minister Mallia that discussions took place between the police force and the Ministry, however claimed that he was not informed until the last minute.

The banquet took place at the Prime Minister's official Summer residence in Girgenti in June 2013. Food had been provided by the Police catering Unit.

Opposition MP Jason Azzopardi had argued against the use of police officers being used as waiters, calling the act ‘degrading’.

The Minister said that the police force were paid for their duties, however saw nothing wrong with what had happened.

Out with the old in with the new?

Police Commissioner Peter Paul Zammit was replaced by Acting Commissioner Ray Zammit. Peter Paul Zammithas since been posted in an administrative role to coordinate national security during forthcoming international events.

Peter Paul Zammit held the post of Commissioner for just over a year prior to being replaced. Mr Zammit had replaced former commissioner John Rizzo when Labour came to government.

The Opposition hoped that the new Acting Commissioner would honour promises made by the government to address the increasing crime rate, keep the promise for overtime compensation for Police Officers, keep police stations in small localities open and that income for extra duty would be taxed at a lower rate.

The governmentdecided to recruit former police force members to help buff up their ranks. This has drawn a cynical response as some of these recruits are well into their autumn years and have missed out on years of experience. A number of questions related to this analysis were sent to the Ministry, but requests for information went ignored.