News • 20 October 2002

Ombudsman’s army report given cold shoulder

By Mario Schembri Wismayer

Valletta - The implications of the Ombudsman’s report about the situation obtaining for career advancement within the Armed Forces of Malta is not on the list of priorities of the Office of the Prime Minister. The report primarily deals with accelerated promotions to air and maritime squadrons possessing relevant qualifications and also other wide-ranging promotions within various units of the Armed Forces of Malta

After a number of promotions were handed out, 77 soldiers who had registered a formal complaint about the promotions, stated that they were not satisfied with the outcome of their complaint and registered a fresh grievance with the Office of the Ombudsman.

Of the upheld cases some are still awaiting action because no decision has been taken by the AFM or because some other formality has to be completed.

The main bulk of the complaints was related to the fact that what was approved in 1996 was not implemented in 1998 or even in 2001.

When MaltaToday asked for the reactions of the Office of the Prime Minister, which is responsible for the Armed Forces, to the Ombudsman’s damning report the newspaper was merely informed by a spokesman: "We are looking into it." A similar request made to the head of the Armed Forces elicited no reply at all.