'Leak' of delegates' personal data condemned
Michael Falzon at the Marsaxlokk open air market, yesterday.
Two contenders for the post of Labour leader, Michael Falzon and Marie Louise Coleiro-Preca, yesterday criticised the leakage of details about the party's delegates to Malta Today newspaper for a survey about the party's upcoming election.
Dr Falzon told the media during a visit to the Marsaxlokk market in the morning that he totally condemned the leak, saying steps should be taken against those responsible.
"Party issues 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.
Mr Falzon promised that should he be elected leader, he would do his utmost to eradicate such acts.
In a statement, Ms Coleiro-Preca said that she had been contacted by a substantial number of party delegates who complained about being called on the phone by unknown persons and asked about their preference of party leader.
The delegates expressed their concern and anger at this behaviour but particularly about how personal and confidential information had been leaked to people who had nothing to do with the MLP.
She described the incident as a serious breach of ethics and professionalism and called on the party's electoral commission to ensure that delegates are protected from such abuse.
She said no one should put delegates under such external pressure. Delegates had the right and duty to make a free choice according to their conscience.
Delegates, on the other hand, should not allow anyone to influence their choice, she added.
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Martin Borg
May 19th 2008, 14:36
I am honestly amazed at the shocked reaction by two of the contenders in the MLP's leadership tussle to the 'leak' of information by the party's delegates as to their voting intentions in the forthcoming election for Dr. Sant's successor.
Apart from the fact that the MLP has been 'leaking' information more than the proverbial colander in recent years, I wonder what Michael Falzon's and marie Louise Coleiro Preca's reaction would have been had the outcome of the survey (conducted by Malta Today using this information) been kinder towards their chances of victory.
What Malta Today did, was simply a repeat of their pre election surveys (that proved uncannily accurate) and once the delegates surveyed were not named I fail to see anything unprofessional or unethical in its behaviour.
The survey only confirmed what last week's internal MLP vote result had evidenced, ie. that the most likely winner will be Joseph Muscat.
Joseph Camilleri
May 19th 2008, 14:31
Just what exactly is the confidential private information "leaked" to a newspaper survey team trying to inform their readers on the election for the leader of the MLP? If it was just the names of the delegates (telephone numbers can be obtained from the telephone directory anyway), what on earth is the moaning and anger all about? Are delegates secret agents? I would have thought that delegates represent the party membership (that is, those whose new leader is being chosen) or at least they should! If so, how can they be hidden away? Why should they be hidden away? It is when things are kept hidden away that abuses and undue pressures flourish. In fact, it is democracy that dies in secrecy.