Sant, Pullicino raise privilege complaints

Exchanges between Environment Minister George Pullicino and Opposition leader Alfred Sant which started during the adjournment on Wednesday continued yesterday when both raised breach of privilege complaints in Parliament.

Mr Pullicino first raised a privilege complaint against l-orizzont, saying it had twisted the version of events which unfolded on Wednesday evening.

Dr Sant then raised privilege complaints against Mr Pullicino and the PN media. He said that after Wednesday's sitting, as he went down the stairs, Mr Pullicino insulted him and would have attacked him had he not been held back. This behaviour, he said, was unacceptable in terms of the Privileges Ordinance.

Furthermore, Dr Sant said, the PN media on Thursday had claimed that he had tried to attack the minister when the incontrovertible fact was that it was Mr Pullicino who was aggressive and had tried to attack him.

Rising again, Mr Pullicino said he wanted to raise a privilege complaint against Dr Sant because he was also twisting the facts. What he had said was not true.

Interjecting on a point of order, Dr Sant said that in terms of Standing Orders, a privilege complaint had to be raised at the first available opportunity. Mr Pullicino had already had that opportunity and he could not now raise a new privilege complaint or comment on the complaint he had raised. Dr Sant asked for a ruling.

The Acting Speaker, Carmelo Abela, said he wished to hear Mr Pullicino, without prejudice.

Dr Sant insisted that the minister could not raise a breach of privilege complaint in reply to another complaint. He had already had his opportunity.

The Acting Speaker said this was the time allocated for privilege complaints.

Dr Sant said Mr Pullicino was raising a privilege complaint as an opportunity to reply to his complaint. This was unacceptable as he had had his opportunity Mr Abela said he still wanted to hear Mr Pullicino.

Dr Sant insisted that the minister could not reply to his complaint because that was not allowed.

Mr Pullicino said that after his adjournment speech on Wednesday Dr Sant had continued to shout at him in the corridor and had attacked him, verbally, by shouting hysterically.

Dr Sant said he was insisting on a ruling by the Chair because one could not have a situation where an MP did not raise his complaint at the first opportunity, as laid down by standing orders, and only did so later. The Acting Speaker said there could not be further discussion and he proceeded to the orders of the day.