Falzon accusations 'expose rift in MLP'

In a speech he made at the Rabat MLP club last Sunday, in the presence of Labour leader Alfred Sant, Labour deputy leader Michael Falzon said he and his supporters had been framed over the Dubai delegation scandal, the Nationalist Party claimed in a statement yesterday.

Dr Falzon said he had filed a report with the Police Commissioner submitting a list of those who were breaking the law in the fight within the party. According to the PN statement, "Dr Falzon asked the Police Commissioner to investigate and to initiate court proceedings against those against whom evidence could be produced. Dr Falzon also urged party secretary general Jason Micallef to file a report with the Police Commissioner," the statement continued.

"In his speech, Dr Falzon said that during a secret meeting at MLP headquarters with contractors who were secretly included in a party delegation which travelled to Dubai led by deputy leader Charles Mangion, two of the contractors tried to contact him to warn him of what lay in store for him."

The Nationalist Party said that the revelations made by Dr Falzon exposed the deep divisions in the MLP between Dr Falzon's supporters and the alliance backing Dr Sant. So deep was the rift that Dr Falzon said that a former Labour official, who was still a party employee, told a relative that after Dr George Abela was ousted from the party, it was Dr Falzon's turn, as he was "another George Abela".

Alfred Sant has replied with a "no comment" to Dr Falzon's accusations. Dr Sant, the PN said, was obliged to raise this issue, which had even reached the Police Commissioner. Try as it might to hide it, the fact remained that Labour was divided as it always has been in the 15 years of Alfred Sant's leadership, the PN statement added.

The PN invited the MLP to listen to what Dr Falzon had to say again, and called on the Labour media to broadcast his speech as it exposed the split within the party.