The Public Service Commission (PSC) has issued its annual report for 2016 where it shed light on recommendations made to the Prime Minister with respect to 38 cases involving criminal proceedings against public officers.
The PSC is a state entity regulating Malta’s public services, chiefly by ensuring that appointments of civil servants are done in a transparent manner, and that Malta’s public service workers act in accordance with their respective roles.
Regulations within the PSC act provides for the type of action to be taken when there is a breach of rules and also lays out various protocols on how to deal with breaches.
Of the 38 cases involving criminal proceedings against public service officers, the PSC recommended dismissal and forfeiture of salary in four of those cases where a guilty verdict had been meted out by the courts. In other cases where a guilty verdict was handed down by the courts against a public official, the PSC recommended a warning of dismissal and a one day suspension without pay for one case, a warning of dismissal and forfeiture of salary in six cases, a warning of dismissal for an indefinite period, definite suspension without pay for one-two days in two cases and the forfeiture of salary in one case.
In seven cases, it recommended the withholding of a salary refund where the courts found the public officers not-guilty
In addition, for six cases, temporary suspension pending the outcome of criminal court cases was recommended, while the lifting of temporary suspension without prejudice before the conclusion of proceedings was recommended in 10 cases.
The remaining criminal cases were all served with a penalty.
This report, the 57th of its kind, was submitted to Prime Minister Joseph Muscat as per PSC regulations. During 2016, the PSC held a total of 50 meetings during which it “dealt with various matters and issues relating to appointments, promotions and discipline”.
People are empowered to submit petitions to the PSC whenever they feel aggrieved about the appointment, promotion or disciplinary proceedings in relation to public service workers. In eight instances, investigations were discontinued therefore in total it considered 109 petitions for 2016.
In nine cases, the Commission upheld the petitions and directed that revised results were to be drawn up and re-published. In 97 cases, the appeals were not upheld. Another three petitions were still being investigated as at 31 December 2016.