Manuel Mallia: the weakest link
It’s not been a good four months for Manuel Mallia, Police, Army, Broadcasting and sometime Justice Minister, but I suppose he can always console himself with a remake of that iconic scene in the film Boiler Room, where the husband and wife strew bank notes across the room, pile them onto the bed and then, well…it’s not really something we want to think about, is it.
John Gera, former manager at the Civil Protection Department, has filed a judicial protest against Minister Mallia (who now calls himself Home Affairs rather than National Security, a significant change which seems to have gone largely unnoticed) and against chief of staff Do You Know Who I Am Scerri – also against the ministry’s permanent secretary.
This is about his transfer to the Hal Far detention centre, which is clearly being used as the punishment zone for People Labour Does Not Fancy Much.
He said in the protest that when he asked why he was being transferred to the detention centre when he had always done his work diligently and well, permanent secretary Kevin Mahoney (there are two men with this name; one was in my class at school and it isn’t he) said to him that it’s because of “the exigencies of the service”.
Mr Gera says he doesn’t think there are any needs which require a person with 13 years of experience in a specialised line of work to be transferred to an area where no specific capabilities and experience are required.
He also says that chief of staff Silvio Scerri told him that there are “unfavourable notes” in his personal file but he was not allowed access to it.
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As Anne Robinson would say … Manuel Mallia, you are the weakest link, goodbye.
Every civil servant has access to their file.
Is a minister free to play about with his proper designation in law? This could have serious legal consequences.
It is the Prime Minister’s responsibility to control his ministers.
As for the other aspect of this report, who are we, mere mortals, to expect any respect from a non-elected person, who sat for no test to occupy his present position, and who expects that his caution “Don’t you know who I am?” should send shivers down our spine?
Meanwhile, the ‘real’ ‘Golden Years’ sharks are lurking in the depths. Won’t be long now. Bye, bye little Joey.
“exigencies of the service”
That is exactly what I was told when I was transferred from Mosta Prim. Sch to Rabat, then to Naxxar, then to Senglea, back to Naxxar, to Mosta once again, to B’Kara , to S Gwann and finally to Lija.
Actually I was supposed to be transferred to Gudia, but an ex-student of mine, member of the Mosta MLP district committee, disagreed with the other members of the committee and I found myself in Lija.
But I can not understand the fuss about being transferred to the Hal far detention center. We are, after all a humanitarian nation and this should not be considered a downgrade or demotion.
We have had the NGO’s march in favour of the illegal immigrants chanting for multiculturalism, we’ve had that excuse of an MEP Roberta Metesola Triccas lobby against the push back decision at EU level and Simon who hailed Silvio Berlusconi’s decision to push immigrants back just two years ago, change his tune conveniently to make some noise and remind us he’s still kicking:
Not to mention the nine years he wasted whining about strengthening Frontex and lapping for burden sharing.
I thought it’s a privilege to work with the Illegal immigrants considering all those with a Nationalist background and believe in Simon are backing and encouraging the Islamic invasion of our country.
Trying to follow the dotted line here but not easy.
Hi Lorna,
It is one thing transferring someone in an admin position from one place to another (I am not undermining people in admin positions dont get me wrong, this is just an example) but it is completely different to transfer someone who has so much experience in the civil protection field, has saved so many lives, and has risked his life countless of times, to a place were he is not using the skills and experience he has gained over these past 13 years.
Wouldn’t you agree to that? The point of the Hal Far ‘fuss’ is not because it is the Hal Far detention centre, but because Mr Gera is not able to do what he is trained to do, and that is protect the nation from accidents and fires and what not.
It could have been a desk job in the Transport Department, but the fact is is that Gera is still receiving an unfair transfer, and the civil protection is still losing someone who has done so much good, and is an expert at his job.
Mallia and Scerri should be dumped simultaneously into a skip…or rather two skips, since one won`t be enough.
It just gets better and better …
The term ”ezigenzi tas-servizz” covers a multitude of sins unfortunately.
MLP has a history of vindictive transfers. Their goal is to intimidate workers and instill fear.