MLP explains walkout

Following the walkout by Labour mayors at the meeting to approve an operations review report yesterday week, reported by The Sunday Times, MLP general secretary Jimmy Magro hit out at the Nationalist Party saying "the arrogance and control with which the PN conducts national business is now also spilling over to the local councils".

Mr Magro made his remarks at a press conference given with Notary Charles Mangion, the MLP's main spokesman for local councils, next week.

Dr Mangion and Mr Magro both objected that representation on the executive of the Councils Association does not reflect the political make-up of the local councils, where, Mr Magro said, the MLP now has an absolute majority.

They both insisted that unless amendments are taken in hand in the operations review this imbalance cannot be corrected.

Mr Magro added that discussions about the problem had taken place between him and Joe Saliba, PN general secretary, and the latter was meant to arrange an appointment with Minister Austin Gatt, since last December, to find a solution to the problem.

However, this meeting never materialised. Mr Magro said he suspected this meeting did not occur because of strained relations between Mr Saliba and Dr Gatt.

Mr Magro also said he would be bringing this display of arrogance by the PN to the attention of the MLP's international contacts among the EP regional committee, the European Socialist Party and any European councils twinned with MLP councils.

The MLP also declared that it has no confidence in the president of the Local Councils' Association, Dr Ian Micallef, and this too will be relayed internationally, Mr Magro said.

The MLP will not accept the Councils Association as a 'screen' for the Nationalist government, Mr Magro concluded.