Mr Schiavone’s letter to The Times of 3 February merely confirmed what I said in my letter to the Independent on Sunday of 31 January and to The Times of 1 February. It scares me that my taxes help to pay the salaries of bureaucrats whose comprehension of English leaves a bit to be desired (and English being an official language of Malta).

First, my letter referred to the ministry’s statement that the take home pay (net pay after taxes) was e22,027 and I said – and still say – that it is a load of baloney! And the graph confirms this because the figures Mr Schiavone presents are the gross wages (before taxes!). I emphasised these points. He himself said that taxes and NI need to be deducted (I noticed his feeble attempt at sarcasm as if I wasn’t aware of that! I check my pay stub like anybody else!) Also, he neglected to include those starting at scale 9! And he also neglected (deliberately?) to mention that a teacher earns e22,027 gross after some 17 years of service. Whoever generalized, giving the impression that all teachers are taking home e22,027, has either poor communication skills or is deliberately deceiving the public!

What is your excuse, Mr Schiavone? Do you know what it says in the Bible? – “Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone.” I think you hit your own head with the stone you cast at me, and teachers in general!

Joe Falzon

QALA