Former TV presenter Norman Vella’s personal employment file had ended up at the Home Affairs Ministry despite the fact that according to regulations, such files had to be kept within their department, the Employment Commission heard today.

Norman Vella, the former presenter of TVHemm, had instituted a case before the Employment Commission against the Prime Minister and the Principal Permanent Secretary claiming political discrimination in the way he was re-deployed from PBS, which started to be heard today.

Mr Vella had been deployed to PBS in August 2012 ‘on grounds of public policy’.  He was on unpaid leave, during which time he worked as production manager for programmes which also included Xarabank and Bijografiji.

Mr Vella had noted that according to the Public Service Management Code, public officers who were deployed with public entities may be redeployed following a request by the officer concerned; following a request by the entity; or following the officer’s promotion to a higher grade within the public service.

Mr Vella had said that these parameters had not been applied in his case, as neither he nor PBS had made such a request. He had been given no promotion, and there was no exigency of service.

Mr Vella said this redeployment led to the end of his career.

Noel Grixti d’Amato, civilians personnel manager within the police force, told the commission that in 2007 Mr Vella had requested a year unpaid leave to work with Where’s Everybody - producers of Xarabank and TVHemm - as a journalist and producer.

This was extended twice (three years in total) which was the maximum allowed by law at the time.

The law has since been amended and one can now be deployed for a maximum of four extensions, that is five years in total.

Mr Grixti d’Amato said Mr Vella spent a total of five years with WE with the two extensions over the maximum being granted by the Office of the Prime Minister.

In September 2012, after five years working with WE, he returned to the Immigration Department but was later deployed to PBS.

Mr Grixti D’amato said that by doing so, Mr Vella repeatedly breached procedure when he applied directly with the Office of the Prime Minister, requesting unpaid leave to work as a journalist and producer with Where’s Everybody.

PSC regulations call for civil servants to file such requests through a chain of command leading to the head of department.

Dr Andrew Borg Cardona was told that according to June 28, 2013 records, the file was moved from PBS to the police, and then to the permanent secretary within the ministry responsible for the police.

Lawyer Pawl Lia, who appeared on behalf of the Prime Minister, said that it was ironic how the Commission was dealing with a case against the Prime Minister for discrimination when Mr Vella had enjoyed positive discrimination twice when the extensions to his deployment were granted.

During today's hearing, both Dr Lia and Dr Borg Cardona were asked by the commission chairman several times to refrain from passing comments.

The permanent secretary within the Home Affairs Ministry, Kevin Mahoney, said he had asked for Mr Vella’s re-deployment to the Immigration Department.

He said that since he took over as permanent secretary in March, he had regular meetings with other directors and the Commissioner of Police, who wanted to restructure immigration to increase the staff complement and that was why Mr Vella was returned to the department.

Mr Mahoney noted that a number of complaints had been received from the public about Mr Vella who said he had acted in a politically biased manner.

He said that before redeploying Mr Vella, he had asked PBS which the programmes Mr Vella was presenting and when they would come to an end so as not to stop him from continuing with his programme schedule.

Mr Mahoney testified that a number of complaints had been received about Mr Vella's 'political bias'.

Mr Mahoney said that before redeploying Mr Vella, he had asked PBS about the programmes he was involved in.

Mr Mahoney said that he did not discuss Mr Vella’s case with Minister Manuel Mallia, had discussed it minimally with the head of Civil Service Mario Cutajar, but had discussed the public’s complaints about Mr Vella with the Home Affairs Ministry’s chief of staff Silvio Scerri.

The case is set to continue.