The General Workers’ Union rejected claims by the Malta Maritime Authority (MMA) that damage aboard the pilot boat Merhba was caused by its crew. The authority has asked the police to investigate the boat’s breakdown.

The GWU said the pilot boat was commissioned in December 2005, and had never been serviced. The authority had been repeatedly informed about the situation, but maintenance was never undertaken.

This situation, said the GWU, was caused by a lack of the money needed to service the second pilot boat, the Welcome, which meant that Merhba had to carry out the duties that normally are carried out by two pilot boats.

The union also referred to the delays in harbouring procedures of cruise liners, because a single pilot boat has to service both Grand Harbour and Marsaxlokk harbour.

The MMA, the GWU said, has found its employees to be ideal scapegoats for a situation which it itself had brought about.