S.L. 220.3 Art. 3Commissioning of officer.

(1) Officers shall be commissioned by the President of

Malta acting on the advice of the Minister.

(2) For the purpose of giving advice under this regulation the

Minister may do or cause to be made any one or more of the following -

(a) cause to be advertised in the Gazette any vacancies in the force it is intended to fill;

(b) call for applications by prospective candidates for commissions in the force or for entry to a military academy or similar institution with a view to obtaining a commission in the force;

(c) determine the qualifications and other conditions for the grant of commissions in the force;

(d) determine the qualifications and other conditions for entry to a military academy or similar institution;

(e) determine the qualifications and other conditions for direct entry into the force as officers and/or the circumstances in which such direct entry is to take place;

(f) determine the rank and seniority in which, and the period for which, a person will be granted a commission;

(g) distinguish between combatant and noncombatant officers, and make such other distinctions as he may deem proper;

(h) make such other provision or arrangement for the selection, appointment and commissioning of officers in the force as he may deem appropriate.

(3) Without prejudice to the provisions of sub-regulation (2)(e) all persons serving as officers in a Maltese unit of the forces of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland on 30th September, 1970, may, if they so elect, be commissioned in the force with effect from 1st October, 1970, in the same rank and seniority which they held in the Maltese unit aforesaid and any person so commissioned shall be allowed to serve until he is due to retire under these Regulations.

(4) All persons commissioned in the force and who have not been attested in the force shall, before taking up their duties, take the oath of allegiance set out in the First Schedule, and such oath may be administered by the Commander, by a staff officer designated in that behalf by the Commander, or by a Commissioner for Oaths.