Next time one of them stops you for a traffic offence, ask him for his tips on folding napkins
Published:
July 8, 2013 at 9:32pm
On timesofmalta.com this evening:
Policemen had food handling certificate
Policemen who served as cooks and waiters at a recent banquet for delegates of the European Broadcasting Union all had a food handling licence, Home Affairs Minister Emanuel Mallia told Charlo’ Bonnici (PN) in reply to a parliamentary question this evening.
Mr Bonnici asked for a list of the policemen who performed such duties, but the minister said such a list could not be provided because of data protection reasons.
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Well, the people wanted a change in direction. They sure have got it.
The police acamemy has been officially moved to ITS
And I’m still looking forward to the police-themed ‘Taste’ in August…..
Has the data protection excuse not become a bit of a too convenient umbrella to hide under?
Since these police officers were not doing any undercover work, why would the minister withhold the information from parliament?
One presumes that these policemen were paid according to the work they did i.e. cooks more than waiters or whatever, but certainly at rates different from policemen, because one cannot be paid at a rate higher or lower to the work one actually does can one?
This after all was done for the pleasure of the Minister and not due to some national emergency. Anything else would look like exploitation of the workers or squandering of taxes…….where are the champions of the downtrodden when actual downtrodding is taking place?
Prosit. Fi zmien Mintoff hafna informazzjoni mitluba fil-Parlament ma kienitx tinghata minhabba li MHUX FL-INTERESS TAL-POPLU.
Illum qed jghidu li l-informazzjoni ma jistghux jaghtuha minhabba d-DATA PROTECTION.
Il-vera qeghdin sew!
I believe the Minister should have given a list setting out the PC number. That’s not personal data. It’s displayed on every uniform.
The Minister could have quite easily given out the names. The Data Protection Act does not prohibit the naming of public officers.
Good point. Did the PN MPs ask for the PC numbers? If not, they should have insisted.
[Daphne – Yes, they did, Etil. That’s where the ‘data protection’ reply came in: in answer to a question in parliament.]
Okay. And when the officer starts to take the order – err I mean to book me – I shall ask him to start with the drinks first.
ciccio, first ask if he’s washed his hands.
Bit of a waste of the tax payers’ money don’t you think? Do we want policemen who can fold napkins? I’d rather have officers get some communication skills training, for example. Of course, I doubt fatso minister is going to see the value of that. FOOD, I hear him bellow.
How convenient, the Data Protection Act comes in handy.
Maybe the Pc number would suffice
It might – but I don’t think that actually this issue was covered by data protection.
It isn’t. And it certainly isn’t protected under the Freedom of Information Act.
Excellent observation, La Redoute. In fact, if anyone makes a Freedom of Information request, they would have to provide the information.
http://www.foi.gov.mt
Good idea – when the health and safety officer comes to my restaurant and asks for the food handling (tag or licence) I`ll tell him I can`t show it to him because of data protection.
Excellent. Have just issued the order to my donut shops.
That’s interesting. So is the taxpayer paying for this CPE, or has waitering (not sure if this is the proper name for the profession) the new recruitment requisite.
Mr Mallia, apologies, Dr Mallia, you should bear in mind the adage, you can fool some of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time. And I think with this statement made in parliament you have just run out of time.
Dr Mallia should be careful when citing the data protection act, and the PN should be more direct in their questions and be aware of these blockades.
. This Act shall not apply –
(b) to processing operations concerning public security,
defence, State security (including the economic well
being of the State when the processing operation
relates to security matters) and activities of the State in
areas of criminal law:
If there is a lack of public security since the officers were asked to leave their posts to attend waiting on the EBU, then perhaps the list of officers should be released.
Futher to that, why not ask for a freedom of information request as to which officers were paid extra (sic:http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130630/local/Police-respond-to-unjust-criticism-.475928) on that particular day, and working it out from there?
And perhaps I am reading within the lines too much but, Dr Mallia said they all HAD, a licence, gosh have the all expired since then, a proper rebut would be, ” on that day all had” or perhaps “all still have a licence”, using the past tense might be misleading.
“Mr Bonnici asked for a list of the policemen who performed such duties, but the minister said such a list could not be provided because of data protection reasons”.
Bullshit. Data Protection does not come into it.
Yesterday, as I was driving through St Calcedonius Square in Floriana, I noticed that there was some form of reception at Police HQ. apart from the fact that dress sense was not invited, I saw a couple of invitees with black trousers and a white shirt. I wonder who catered for the event.
If I’m not mistaken data protection can be waived for PQs as long as the answer is not released into the public domain .
That’s why now it’s called ‘Rapid Intervention Unit’-to cater for anything ‘Rapid’ & in times of ’emergency’.
It seems like the accusation of an orchestrated effort to discredit the Minister is indeed unfounded – he is more than capable of discrediting himself by hiding behind all and sundry while in full public view.