Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela today hit out at PN deputy leader Beppe Fenech Adami for his “negative talk” on Civil Protection Department volunteers.

Currently, parliament is debating amendments to the Civil Protection Act.

Dr Abela said that Dr Fenech Adami was negative on issues which gives Civil Protection Department workers who risk their lives to help others improved conditions of work.

He referred to the successful rescue operations at Pretty Bay recently and other interventions made by the CPD in other localities.

“Fenech Adami decided to hit out at persons who are not of the same political allegiance.

“It is rather shameful of him to have attempted to ‘kill’ their morale,” Dr Abela said.

Recently, Dr Fenech Adami highlighted in parliament that the government orchestrated a recent call for recruits to the Civil Protection Department so that it could fulfil pre-electoral job pledges for a number of people close to the Labour Party in government. Dr Fenech Adami accused the government of having tailor-made a call for applications for three new recruits over 50 years of age, and of having ignored the requirement of having a police good conduct certificate by having hired two convicted criminals who, he said, were close to the PL, adding that "two partners in crime are now partners in the CPD".

One of the people who are close to Labour, Dr Fenech Adami said, is Rene Xuereb who had photos of himself on Facebook posing with Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and he had also featured in a Labour Party 2013 campaign music video.  Another, David Caruana, had featured in the 2013 Labour campaign 'I'm in' posters and literature.  Now, Dr Fenech Adami said, this individual could truly say "I'm in...in the CPD".

The third, Joseph Fava, was a former cameraman employed with the Labour Party's Super One television station.  Another such incidence involved a person whose girlfriend works at the Office of the Prime Minister - making him an automatically preferred candidate, Dr Fenech Adami continued.

The two convicts, according to Dr Fenech Adami, were Jonathan Callus and Natalino Spiteri, who had been convicted of insurance fraud in October 2006 and should never have been considered as recruits to the disciplinary forces.

Meanwhile Dr Abela referred to an In-Nazzjon report which stated that the PL has launched a systematic attack on civil servants.

He said that the PN was supporting civil servants who spied on government but did not defend the rights of CPD officials who risk life and limb to save people in distress.

Dr Abela also highlighted that the PL stuck to its electoral pledge and CPD members will be given a pension after 25 years of service.

Minister defends 'convicts' who applied to join CPD

The minister said he felt he had to speak on behalf of the persons who were named by Dr Fenech Adami and over the fact that their photos were “spread all over”.

He said that Dr Fenech Adami was wrong when he claimed that the two are partners in crime.

He said that Mr Spiteri did not join the CPD for personal reasons and his sentence was given to him some nine years ago.

Dr Abela said that both presented their police conduct certificate, like the rest of recruits. He said that Mr Spiteri’s police conduct was “clean” while Mr Callus’ was ‘form B’ status. He said that the Public Service Commission’s board which makes such verifications had told Mr Callus that he is not eligible to apply. But Mr Callus had filed a petition to the Commission.

“The PSC had ordered the board not to exclude Mr Callus’ application after careful consideration,” Dr Abela said.

Dr Abela also cared to defend Mr Callus’ expertise in this sector.

He defended the other three CPD recruits who Dr Fenech Adami said have "close ties to Labour".

“Cannot one be eligible to join the CPD simply because they were close to us politicians?” he asked.

He gave an example of three TVM journalists – David Bonello and Keith Demicoli who previously worked for Net TV and Sergio Mallia who formerly worked as PRO of former minister George Pullicino who, to this day, still work for the national TV station.

“But a camera person who worked for One TV cannot apply to join the CPD?” Dr Abela asked.

“These are nothing but double standards of the Opposition,” he concluded.