As the secretary of the RAFA Malta GC, I would be very grateful if you bring to the attention of your readers my Association’s views with regard to an article penned by the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry for the Family and Social Solidarity in a Maltese daily on 12 March entitled “Wara d-Decizjoni tal-Qorti Ewropea dwar il-Pensjonijiet tas-Servizzi Inglizi”. Unfortunately, our reply to that article was never published by the relevant daily newspaper.

We fully agree that Maltese Service Pensioners, that is, the pre-1979 Civil Servants, Malta Police and AFM Pensioners were misled by false expectations as the EU Court of Justice was only considering the technicalities of whether or not any EU Regulations were not adhered to in the way the issue of ex-Maltese who served with the British Services had their British Services Pension deducted from the Malta National Contributory Pension.

What we strongly do not agree, and in a way object to, with the Permanent Secretary is when he stated that “in his opinion this was a very important point because if the European Court decision was different, it would have created a wider distinction between British Services Pensioners and those known as Malta Treasury Pensioners.

Yes Dear Permanent Secretary, there is a big difference between these two categories, as the former are bringing foreign currency into Malta’s economy annually and paying income tax on it and thus not only are they not a burden on the Maltese government but they are sustaining it. At the same time, they are fully entitled for their National Contributory Pension as they paid their dues (Il-Bolla) in full during their working life. Therefore we cannot but strongly object to your personal opinion, as in such matters it is not a case of a personal opinion but a matter of moral rights and social justice to say the least.

This said, we are not against the Treasury Service Pensioners to be given a fair treatment too.

 

Major Tony Abela

Hon Secretary

Royal Air Forces Association Malta GC