Civil protection members given right to pension following 25 years of service

Members of the civil protection department are being given the right to a pension following 25 years of service, home affairs minister Carmelo Abela said.

Speaking to members of the department during a meeting, Abela said that department members were being given equal conditions to other corp members.

“The government made a reduction of the anomalies between disciplined corps one of its main aims,” Abela said, referring to the governments electoral manifesto.

He added that a legal amendment, which made it through parliament after 16 years, some 180 members of the department were being given the right to enjoy a pension which consists of two-thirds of their salary.

“In eight years, some 50 firefighters will be enjoying this pension just like members of other corps.”

Abela said that parliament had also discussed a law to give members of the department compensation for disabilities resulting from injuries sustained during their work.

“The draft points out that if officials are injured on the job in such a way as to make their job impossible, they will be entitled to the same pension regardless of how long their servicewas,” he said.

Abela said that the move sought to express gratitude and appreciation towards fire fighters.

Members of the department thanked the ministry for its investment in the sector, which had resulted in new uniforms and protective gear, and they added that the right to representation had allowed them to represent the needs of all members of the corps.