Labour watchdog lifts district secretary's suspension

The Malta Labour Party's vigilance board has lifted the suspension it had imposed on Joe Zrinzo, the secretary of the party's 12th district committee, sources said yesterday.

In a letter issued by the board on Saturday, Mr Zrinzo was informed it had been established he had not breeched any of the provisions of the party statute and, hence, the suspension was being lifted.

MLP secretary general Jason Micallef had, on August 8, written to the party leadership, the national executive, deputy general secretaries and the secretaries of MLP clubs in Mellieha, Mgarr, Naxxar, St Paul's Bay and Gharghur, informing them that Mr Zrinzo, the father of party president Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi, had been suspended from party activities with immediate effect.

In his letter, Mr Micallef informed them that Mr Zrinzo was also being suspended from the national party executive until his case was investigated by the vigilance board.

Contacted yesterday, Mr Zrinzo confirmed the suspension had been lifted but would not comment.

The vigilance board noted that between February and May 2004, Mr Zrinzo and Steve Macarthy had taken the initiative to propose a change at the helm of the party.

"This initiative was destined to fail as the leader has just been confirmed in his position and this was followed by electoral victories in the European and local council elections," the vigilance board noted.

There was no doubt that Mr Zrinzo's initiative was out of place but it did not damage the party when it took place as no publicity was given to it at the time. It was only when the matter was raised on Super One radio that the party suffered damage, the board remarked.