Police chief Angelo Gafa’s income has more than doubled in two years due to a raft of government allowances added to his salary.
While the Police Commissioner has been attempting to hide his new financial package for months, using legal delaying tactics to provide a copy of his contract to The Shift, new information tabled in parliament following pressure by PN MP David Agius outed his new financial arrangements.
According to the data, Angelo Gafa’, who has been harshly criticised by the Opposition and NGOs, accusing him of being in the government’s pockets, now earns a total of €107,438 a year if all his allowances are approved at the end of every year.
Apart from his basic wage pegged to scale 2 of the civil service grades, which in 2023 stood at €45,936, the government has granted him a raft of allowances to double his annual financial package.
In a clear attempt to avoid disturbing the relativity of other civil service grades, the government gave Gafa’ a staggering €61,502 in allowances instead of increasing his salary.
The allowances compensate for disturbance, transport, responsibility, training, performance, and others that are usualt part of the police commissioner’s job description.
While the Commissioner is legally obliged to act independently from the government in his work, he depends on the government to approve most of his newly acquired allowances.
In an interview with The Shift in July 2022, Gafa’ said that his job income amounted to €50,200 or €3,900 every four weeks. The new data also reveals that Gafa’ doubled his income in just two years.
In the report by The Shift, which questioned how he could afford a newly acquired villa in Marsaxlokk, bought at € 885,000, Gafa’ disclosed that his wife, Police Inspector Sylvana Gafa’, brought home another €2,985 every four weeks or €38,805 a year.
The police commissioner’s wife was also recently promoted.
Just a few months ago, the Commissioner’s wife was promoted to Superintendent, and her income could rise to €71,611 a year if all her allowances are approved.
It was her husband, the police commissioner, who approved her promotion.
The police’s ‘power couple’ can now earn €179,049 a year, or €15,000 a month, from government coffers.
Prime Minister Robert Abela appointed Gafa’ police commissioner in June 2020. His appointment was renewed last summer despite opposition from the PN and NGOs, who made it clear they had no confidence in him.
Bribed with the peoples’ taxes… but he thinks that no one is noticing the crimes he is committing to protect the criminal labour gang… A week is a long time in politics the saying goes… things might turn sour for him in the future.
Horrendous is the only word I can think of, that such an incompetent (even by gahan standards) can be bribed with so much, he of course knows where all the real criminals especially the political ones have hidden all the evidence that will see them put away for centuries if it was ever exposed.
Along with Carl Cini they should be offered an amnesty to reveal the truth behind all the heinous crimes we have experienced these last few years so we can up the conviction rate.
No sleeping allowance?
Or rabbit munching allowance?
I just wonder — has the Permanent Secretary at the People and Standards Division of the OPM agreed to all these allowances?
Is-salarji tal-Gvern ghadhom baxxi u flok jirrangawhom, joqodu jghollu l-allowances. Boqqq. Dan kollu minhabba li JM ma kienx qabel maz-zidied ministerjali u regga l-arlogg lura.
Best law enforcement money can buy, Maltese style. Meaning, ignore any and all MLP illegalities and you’ll be handsomely rewarded with the money of all those you swore to protect. Corradino will be too lenient for this immoral scumbag.
The task of the Commissioner has tremendously increase in light of the present political, NGOs and judiciary as climate. I also understand that any promotion is time restrictive and the claim of preferential treatment for the long standing police service of Superintendent is baseless. … Equality of Arms.
Maybe Hush money?
Maybe possibly money so that he does nothing or look in the wrong direction?
His record of failure is truly unique.
That doesn’t happen by itself, does it?
Getting paid more for doing less in other words a person of trust ( in other words as crooked as the person that labels him with trust in it)?