Sunday, 18th May 2008 - 10:06CET
Updated: Coleiro-Preca demands investigation over leaked information
(Adds Michael Falzon's comments)
Labour leadership candidate Marie Louise Coleiro-Preca has demanded an investigation by the MLP's electoral commission after information about the party delegates was leaked to persons who have nothing to do with the party.
Condemning what had happened, Notary Coleiro-Preca said in a statement that over the past few days, a substantial number of delegates had contacted her to complain that they had been contacted by phone by unknown persons and asked about their preference for MLP leader.
The delegates said they were concerned and angry that personal, confidential information about them had been given to third parties.
Notary Coleiro-Preca said she was demanding an inquiry into this “serious breach of ethics and professionalism” by the MLP electoral commission.
“The commission needs to ensure that the delegates are protected from such serious abuse. No one has a right to abuse of the delegates,” she said.
She also reiterated her recent comment that no one should apply external influence on the delegates. The delegates, she insisted, had a right and a duty to make a free choice according to their conscience.
She also urged the delegates not to allow anyone to influence them unduly.
Leadership candidate Michael Falzon speaking at the Maraxlokk market today also criticised the leakage of information.
“Party matters of a sensitive nature should never be passed on to the public... Whoever has the responsibility to keep custody of certain matters but cannot should leave the party. Certain details are only held by a select few,” he said.
Dr Falzon promised that should he be elected leader, he would do his utmost for such things not to take place.
During the Marsaxlokk market tour, Dr Falzon was also asked about his position on Labour leader Alfred Sant’s references to particular people in the media during his Parliamentary speech on Monday.
He said that he never personally attacked anyone and he never would. The media, he said, always had a right to its opinion and the MLP wanted to strengthen democracy. However, there would always be those who felt that the media did not always play fair with them.
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Comments
Thank you for pointing out the detail. I'm well aware that the motion on George Abela's behalf was moved by Dr Marlene Pullicino who is one of his backers and also undertook to collect delegate signatures to present the petition to the MLP Administrative Council. I should have stated "the motion presented on Dr George Abela's behalf" to cut a long story short.
@A Muscat
An excellent diagnosis of the present situation in the MLP camp. Today's Times feature on Evarist Bartolo's reaction is in line with your comments. I am in total agreement with your arguments and line of thinking.
@ all
i wonder why not even one counter argument re this theme has appeared in this column penned by the usual Labour-leaning apologists.
Please note that the mover of the motion you are refering to was Dr.Marlene Pullicino and not Dr. G. Abela as you suggested.
Leaking such information about delegates and arranging with media clearly supporting Muscat to publish such surveys is meant to give advantage to the candidate preferred by the incumbents in the party administration, whom they perceive as the candidate with the minimal approach to change to their accustomed way of doing things.
Add to that the clear support of former deputy leader GV and the clear obstruction to change by the outgoing leader and you have the playing field as level as it -telegha tal mellieha.
It is rather strange that Joseph Muscat has failed to comment on this serious leak when he is so busy giving comments on every subject under the sun!! Coming so soon after the delegates' vote against Dr George Abela's motion to extend voting rights that was perceived as having been manipulated by the "inside clique" to downsize his chances of success, it surely is part of the strategy mentioned by Lino Spiteri in his Times articles that prove, beyond all doubt, that more under-the-belt tactics are about to be unleashed. I totally agree with John Scerri's comment - so much for a level playing field - which admirable quality has been largely stressed as the corner stone of a clean campaign by the MLP electoral commission.
This comes as no suprise after what was decided re: Dr. Abela's motion last week.
Another way of unjust lobbying .
A cruel way of downsizing other valid contestants.
A unfair way to classify other contestants as being the underdogs.
HOW COME Dr. MUSCAT HAS NOT SAID ANYTHING ABOUT THIS ? or did he?
Is it because he ended up on top of the group?
Dr. Muscat should have been first to condemn such actions.
So much for a level playing field.
So; are we ingradiated non delegated socialists now being lumped up with injury piled on insult to beleive that the ones in the deepest inner circle do not know who is capable of doing what?
The Italians have a good saying and when they say it, they shake their hand from the elbow while they hold their index finger to their thumb.
If i take it that the electoral commission is scrupulously doing its duty as obliged to, then Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, in my opinion, has every right to be given the explanation she is asking for.
It would be truly a sad episode for the MLP in its bid to convince all that it as a credible party to have such rampant laments regarding the electoral process of the new leader. Please spare us the doubt raised following the election of the new leader in 1992.
Being a party boasting so much of transparency, cannot everything be done above board? Can we paid up members have a complete list of the members belonging to the MLP, locality by locality, and the delegates approved for the general or extraordinary general meetings of the party. I am still in the dark, whether such information goes against the Data Protection Act or exclusively belongs to the party.
If such an information is something that is accessible solely to the administration of the party, who is going to explain the allegation raised by Marie Louise Coleiro-Preca of concerns expressed by delegates contacted by phone by unknown persons.
Such a mean act, taking account of Marie Louise Coleiro-Preca complaint, does not do any honour to the MLP. We have to remember also what Lino Spiteri maintained in his talking point earlier this week, that anonymous letters are also being sent with connection to the said election of the new MLP leader.
Who is going to take the bull by the horn and put our mind at rest, that the MLP will be having a new leader following a clean, accountable and transparent process?
If what is happening is, and I really hope so, beyond the electoral commission, who is resorting to such despicable acts. Whose interest is it to have a leader and not another? And why?