Police warn of ‘necessary action’ as officers remain unpaid for CHOGM overtime

Malta Police Association says police administration rejects request for payment for extra hours worked during CHOGM and Valletta Summit, despite organising task force saying there were enough funds

The Malta Police Association has warned that it would take all “necessary action” the police administration is refusing to pay police officers for the extra hours worked during the Valletta Summit and CHOGM in November.

The MPA said the police administration and the task force overseeing the events had given officers the impression that they would be paid for the extra hours. However, four months since the events took place, the request for payment for those extra hours had been turned down.

The Association explained that apart from the usual extra hours that officers work on a daily basis, officers who worked during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and the Valletta Summit on Migration had worked more than 150 extra hours, or in excess of 75% of normal hours. 

Insisting that the time has come for officers’ rights to be safeguarded, the Association said it could not understand why the police administration had rejected the request for payment when the organising task force said there were funds to cover payment for the extra hours.

The Ministry for Home Affairs was asked about the issue, but had not given any reply, the Association said.

The Association said it was refusal by the police administration was disheartening for the officers who had worked hard for their country and who until now, remain unpaid.

It also warned that it would take all necessary action as allowed by law if officers’ rights guaranteed by successive European directives remain unimplemented.