The government did not have confidence in sergeants who graduated in law last year and who had been given the warrant to practise law and were working in the prosecutions office of the police corps, the Labour Party’s spokesman on home affairs, Gavin Gulia said yesterday.

These sergeants were expecting to be promoted to inspectors but this did not seem to be on the government’s agenda, he said in a statement.

Dr Gulia said that following a statement he had issued some time ago, the government had issued a call for applications for inspectors. Applicants needed to have a doctorate in law or at least pass marks in a number of subjects at ordinary level.

Yet, the government was now expecting that, before being promoted to inspectors, sergeants who had a degree in law must follow a two-year part-time course at University, Dr Gulia said.

These sergeants were so demoralised that they did not apply for the post of inspector. At the same time they were leading police prosecutions in court, like inspectors, Dr Gulia added.