Opposition insists police officer should be removed from parliament duty

The Nationalist Party is seeking the transfer of sergeant major Eugenio Caruana from parliament after Speaker Anglu Farrugia ruled that the policeman will remain stationed in parliament.

The request follows comments made by the same Caruana on Facebook. Caruana has since taken down his Facebook page.

In a letter to the Acting Police Commissioner, opposition whip David Agius argued that Caruana had made disparaging comments against PN MP Claudette Buttigieg and that the sergeant major was not fit to ensure the security of the members of parliament.

The request had already been made to the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Farrugia said that his “colourful” Facebook comments while he was still stationed at the Bormla police station.

“He had no idea that he was about to be promoted to the rank of sergeant major last week or that he was going to be stationed to Parliament,” Farrugia said, adding that Caruana has since deleted his Facebook account.

The Speaker said that he had personally spoken with Caruana following the PN’s complaint and made it clear with him that he must fulfill his new role in charge of Parliament security without in any way discriminating against MPs.

“Everyone has the right to their own political beliefs, but every Parliament employee should carry out their work irrespectively of such beliefs,” he said. “I will ensure that Caruana and other police officers fulfill their duties.”
He added that he felt no reason to bring this case up with the new acting police commissioner Laurence Cutajar.