”When the Labour Party was in Opposition it criticised Petra Caruana Dingli’s appointment as Mepa’s Environment Protection Director in 2011 without a call for applications.

The statement was signed by Mr Galdes himself, then a member of the Mepa board, who had said he voted against the appointment because it lacked transparency.

Yet soon after he took on the role of Animal Rights Parliamentary Secretary he recruited Mr Golovkin in the same way.

In his latest report, Ombudsman Joseph Said Pullicino threw
the spotlight on the vague definition of “position of trust”, saying such appointments should be restricted to ensure fairness, nondiscrimination and transparency.

Mr Galdes also appointed Albert Pace as his advisor – a licensed trapper and hunter who was convicted for using illegal electronic bird lures in 2009. Times of Malta yesterday revealed that one of his first tasks was to advise on the revision of the conservation of wild bird regulations that resulted in the decriminalisation of the use of such callers.
Until recently, Mr Pace’s desk at the ministry was in the same
office of the WBRU, although political appointees should not
share the same office as public employees. He sat next to brothers Joseph Lia and Richard Lia, employed in the same unit, which goes against the recommendations of the public service management code. It states: “It is the practice to
avoid having in the same unit members of the same family”.
Both brothers have a history with the hunting lobby. Joseph Lia was a council member for the hunters’ federation when he was recruited – he resigned only after his appointment.
His brother Richard was formerly a nurse at Mount Carmel
hospital and has no credentials in bird conservation.”

Print edition of The Sunday Times of Malta dated 28.12.14 (Pg. 12)

And lo and behold, the same name again and still allowed to wear the uniform to ‘serve and protect’!

Disciplinary action will be taken against a police sergeant over his behaviour when dealing with a minor incident at McDonald’s outlet in St Julian’s.

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120813/local/Police-take-action-against-sergeant.432623

Of course the mention of the Red Bull drinking at the Escobar while on duty does add a dash of irony to the matter.

”“When we got to Escobar, the owner offered us a drink. I had a Red Bull and my constables had a soft drink and we spent time speaking to him. While we were at the bar, this student who was there with a friend took pictures of us.”

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120507/local/police-chief-mulls-action-for-beating-charge-error.418673

The same police sergeant involved in both cases:

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120507/local/police-chief-mulls-action-for-beating-charge-error.418673

Updated – Police sergeant explains presence in gentleman’s club, denies wrongdoing – had previous court case

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20141228/local/updated-police-sergeant-explains-presence-in-gentlemans-club-denies-wrongdoing-had-previous-court-case.549752

Saturday, December 27, 2014 TOM
”Adviser on wild bird law revision had conviction for ‘callers’
No risk of offenders’ licences being lost”

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20141227/local/Adviser-on-wild-bird-law-revision-had-conviction-for-callers-.549645

Mallia never resigned and Muscat looked weak when he did not sack him until the very last minute, literally.

The more I read this in different newpaper articles the more I wonder whether this is what people really fear. I for certain know that that is not my major concern arising from the leak.

Rather, I fear that, if I were to be a victim I would wonder who the police would choose to protect. Would they protect me or the person committing the crime against me. Would they move or remove evidence, alter statements, or rush to influence public opinion as to his actions if he/she were a police officer or a friend of a police officer?

I would certainly not be overtly worried if the details of the crime would become public, although this is no desirable. But what the leak most highlighted were not details which needed to be hidden, but the crime by omission and commission of manipulating the parameters of the crime by those duty bound to prevent such maneuvering.

One is given to understand that some of the very people who saw nothing wrong with doing just that are back on the job.

Please do not insult us Mr. Commissioner.

http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2014-12-22/local-news/Whistleblowers-Act-not-arbitrary-go-ahead-to-leak-information-Justice-Minister-6736127741

That is in a very small box, on The Sunday Times today.