MP accuses minister of bypassing the House

Yesterday's parliamentary sitting was adjourned at Question Time for lack of quorum.

Labour MP Joe Mizzi had made the quorum call after objecting to a statement by Investments Minister Austin Gatt in reply to a parliamentary question involving the sale of Maltacom.

The minister in his reply said it had been agreed that a large tract of undeveloped land held by Maltacom at Qawra was to revert to the government, but Maltacom was in return to be given ownership over properties it held for its telephone exchanges.

Mr Mizzi observed that such transfer of land could only take place by Parliamentary resolution.

Dr Gatt said Mr Mizzi was correct, but since the government had a safe majority of five in the House it was sure that this resolution would pass and the government would not lose its majority.

Mr Mizzi said this was arrogance and irresponsibility. It meant that the government had made commitments before the required parliamentary approval. Dr Gatt said the government could give its guarantees in virtue of its majority in the House.

Mr Mizzi demanded a ruling from the Acting Speaker, Carmelo Abela, arguing that Dr Gatt's statement was unconstitutional and the government was ignoring Parliament.Nationalist MP Mario Galea asked which Standing Order enabled the Chair to judge a minister's actions. Mr Mizzi said Dr Gatt's declaration implied there was no need for Parliament.

Mr Abela said everyone was responsible for what he said and the people would ultimately judge, but the Chair could not rule on constitutional issues.

Mr Mizzi again called for a ruling, but also made a quorum call. The sitting was then adjourned because fewer than 15 MPs were present.

The House meets again on Monday.

In its reaction, the Parliamentary Group of the Nationalist Party said yesterday that during the second call for a quorum there was only one Labour MP in the House while 15 Nationalist MPs had arrived at the Parliament building although not all of them were in the House.

In a statement bearing the name of party whip Mario Galea, the group claimed that the Labour opposition had disrupted the sitting which was due to debate the introduction of the euro because it lacks solid arguments.

It is shameful that the Opposition is reverting to histrionics instead to committing itself to a serious debate, the group added

At the general election, the electorate would have to choose between the PN which is intent on completing its political programme and the MLP which is resorting to hysterical outbursts and theatricals because it is in a state of panic, the group said.