Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1511123
NICOLE MEILAK FORMER Labour MP Silvio Grixti has spoken out for the first time about the disability benefits scandal, but instead pointed fingers at a Nation- alist MP implicated in selling certificates in 2018. In a Facebook post on Tues- day, Grixti posted a photo of a medical certificate used by people requesting medical ben- efits. "Why is it that, when there were media reports in the re- cent past about abuses with these certificates, the police didn't investigate and acted like everything was forgiven?" Grixti was alluding to shadow health minister Stephen Spi- teri, who in 2018 was caught selling medical certificates for €5 each A judge had described the Med- ical Council's disciplinary pro- ceedings against doctor and PN MP Stephen Spiteri as a 'classic case of a structural lack of ob- jective impartiality', throwing out the case. He also tagged Health Minis- ter Chris Fearne. "What do you think Chris Fearne???" This is the first time Grixti spoke about the disability ben- efits scandal publicly. Last Sep- tember, the former Labour MP was implicated in an extensive scheme spanning several years, involving the fraudulent ac- quisition of monthly disability benefits. Grixti had resigned from par- liament on 20 December after news emerged that he was in- terrogated by police in relation to fraudulent medical docu- ments. He was released on po- lice bail. Last week, he was interrogat- ed by police for a second time over the disability benefits scandal. Silvio Grixti breaks silence on disability benefits scandal Employers slam union's move to sue Industrial Tribunal members personally Former Labour MP breaks silence, points fingers at Nationalist MP implicated in selling medical certificates back in 2018 In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Silvio Grixti (above) posted a photo of a medical certificate used by people requesting medical benefits 7 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 8 NOVEMBER 2023 NEWS THE Malta Employers' Association (MEA) says action taken by the Union of Professional Educators (UPE) against the Industrial Tribunal and its members is unethical, unprecedented, and under- mines the proper functioning of the insti- tution. Last week, members of Malta's Indus- trial Tribunal protested a court summons against them personally, in a constitu- tional case filed by the UPE. Chairperson Harold Walls and the tri- bunal's two members told Prime Minister Robert Abela in a letter, that they were umbraged at being personally held liable in the UPE's court claim filed by legal counsels Jason Azzopardi and Therese Comodini Cachia. In a statement, the MEA said any party can ask for the recusal of a member of the tribunal if it proves that there is a conflict of interest, but the decision to name the members of the Tribunal when it filed constitutional proceedings is "unethical". "The Industrial Tribunal has always been a respected institution and, although there have been many recommendations to strengthen its role and function by the MEA and other social partners, no one has ever cast a shadow of doubt over the integrity of the chairpersons in their qua- si-judicial role, and appointed members." The MEA described the move as "an- other attempt by the UPE to destabi- lise industrial relations structures in the country to further its own agenda". In the original case, filed by the UPE against the Directorate for Educational Services, the union's legal representatives objected to the first two members of the tribunal. They did not object to the pres- ence of Lawrence Mizzi and Bryony Bal- zia Bartolo as tribunal members on the complaint, nor requested their recusal. The constitutional case, to be heard in January 2024, was filed by the UPE against the State Advocate, the DES, the director of industrial and employment relations, as well as Harold Walls, Lawrence Mizzi and Bryony Balzia Bartolo. Parliamentary secretary for social dia- logue Andy Ellul held a press conference Saturday afternoon, calling the constitu- tional action on the three members an "unjust and disproportionate attack", and that the government would support the Tribunal members by financing their le- gal expenses. The Malta Employers' Association says action by Union of Professional Educators against Industrial Tribunal members is unethical