Union paper outs PN councillor in ‘irregular’ JobsPlus inspection at Swieqi store

The General Workers Union newspaper has revealed that a JobsPlus inspector suspected of having carried out an informal, on-the-spot inspection at the shop of a businessman broadcast on One News praising the country’s economy, is a PN councillor.

The JobsPlus inspector and another unnamed colleague - both former police officers - are alleged to have carried out the inspection at the Swieqi shop, after having been dispatched earlier on to a construction site.

JobsPlus is the national employment agency.

The man was identified as Zurrieq local councillor Pierre Farrugia, and the GWU paper l-Orizzont carried a photo of the man beside Opposition leader Simon Busuttil at one of the party’s general council.

Minister Chris Cardona reported the incident on Monday evening in the House of Representatives, saying the Swieqi businessman had been broadcast on One News welcoming Busuttil and a PN delegation to his shop on a tour of businesses in the locality. The businessman was broadcast stating that the economy could “not be viewed negatively” and that he had “nothing to complain” about business, being an employer of 15.

The next day, Cardona said, the JobsPlus inspectors appeared at the store to inspect employment papers.

On its part, the PN reacted to the news Wednesday morning that the Orizzont report was a vindictive campaign against “civil servants whose only blame is being of Nationalist persuasion”.

The PN attacked the GWU for propping up what it claimed was “a campaign against civil servants” and dubbed it a “psychological violence taking us back 30 years”, while also attacking “Labour’s corruption”.

“The PN categorically denies the accusations being made, and makes it clear that every worker targeted by this corrupt clique will find shelter in this party.”