Home Affairs minister defends presence during Security Service recruitment interview

PN condemns home affairs minister’s ‘interference’ in Security Service job interviews

29 June 2013, 12:00am
by Matthew Vella

2 min read

Home Affairs minister Manuel Mallia has defended his presence at an interview for finalist candidates for Security Service recruits, claiming the same procedure as that employed by the former Nationalist administration had been followed.

"Since the responsible minister is ultimately the person who approves this recruitment, the head of the Security Service felt it should be the minister who is also present for the final scrutiny of the new recruits," Mallia said in a statement in reaction to a condemnation from the Nationalist Party.

The Nationalist Party described as "shocking" a claim by Manuel Mallia, who declared in parliament that he had sat in for an interview of prospective members for the country's Security Service.

"This news is shocking and constitutes an unprecedented irregularity," the PN said in a statement, taking exception at Mallia's claims that his presence in the interview represented a "new way of doing politics".

The Security Service chief is assistant commissioner Michael Cassar.

"The PN administration should confirm or deny the way the names of Security Service members were imposed through the direct involvement of Nationalist ministers. The procedure laid down in the Security Service Act is being followed, whereby it is the chief of the service who recruits these members, and not by being handpicked by the minister," Mallia said.

"Since this process requires ministerial approval of the members that the Security Service chief wants recruited, I had to accept to be present when the head of the Security Service carries out these final interviews."

Mallia said the PN's "attack" showed the party was still weighed down by "destructive methods of criticism".

The PN said described the episode as "a threat to individuals' liberties. It is unheard of, in any democratic country, Malta included, having a minister being directly involved in the Security Service."

The PN said the Security Service enjoys great powers at law, which include the interception of telephone calls and correspondence in the fight against criminality and the protection of national security.

"We condemn the minister's presence in this operation, strongly and without any reservation. We ask Mallia whether he feels he has compromise the independence of the Security Services, and if the prime minister is aware of this interference or whether he blessed Mallia's presence."

The PN said it will not allow the government to manipulate the Security Service for its own aims and undermine civil liberties and individual privacy.

Matthew Vella, a freelance journalist at MaltaToday, was formerly executive editor at Malt...

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Mr. Minister, its your turn now, according to the PN propaganda machine, this will go on for the next couple of weeks and then it will be somebody else's turn to incessantly pick on and target for these 'unheard of' abuses of power! These wolves in sheep's clothing or better still these pack of prostitutes now parading as virgins in the local political scene, just who are they kidding? We voted you out of government, ghax qazziztuna bil kbir to the point of being nauseating, just the thought of having you, the whole corrupt lot for another 5 years.

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Does a political presence on a selection board have to be physical? Let's put it this way: Can a person be on an interviewing board without actually sitting there? Just asking.

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Daqs kemm hu pruzuntuz u Melba haseb li ghadi fit 80 fi zmien il salvager ta Malta

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I never sign blank checks, either.

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There is every justification for Minister Mallia to be present at the final short listing. He needs to be sure that secret service files on the oil scandal sent to Tonio Fenech before the election do not get lost again. He needs to make sure that Secret Service Personnel do not hit a 90 year old man and keep on going, then cover up using pressure on who knows who. He needs to ensure that the secret service personnel really work in the best interests of the Country and not of the PN, RCC, Tonio Fenech, and of course LG and AG.

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PN are crying foul at every move of the new Government. They have forgotten that during 25 years of PN administration, boards were directed as to whom to appoint, obviously keeping in mind political (and apron...) connections. let us not forget the invisible hand which was omnipotent! So can PN stop being hypocrite and start being a true opposition. have they not learnt the lesson of the early seventies. History repeating itself!

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Why not? who is the most idoneous to see that the right persons are chosen...maybe some people from the old block!!!!