Updated: PN claims promotions amount to 'Labour take-over' of the AFM

The way promotions were being given in the AFM amounted to a Labour takeover of the army, PN deputy leader Beppe Fenech Adami said this afternoon. He was speaking at a press conference in Valletta with Jason Azzopardi, the party's spokesman on home affairs.  Dr Fenech Adami said developments in the AFM were worrying and constituted yet another wrong decision which eroded the people's confidence in the police and army. The mistaken decisions had also included the removal of police commissioner, the appointment of a Labour-leaning commissioner, vindictive transfers and the use of policemen as waiters, among other matters, Dr Fenech Adami said.  He said the Home Affairs Ministry had changed the criteria of how promotions were made, so as to accommodate those close to Labour. Dr Azzopardi noted ow four majors were last week promoted to lieutenant colonel, the third highest rank in army. It was shameful, he said, that members of the minister's secretariat sat on the selection board, something which never happened under the previous government. He asked what qualifications the ministry's deputy chief of staff and a customer care official had with regard to the army.   This, he insisted,...