Nationalist Party president resigns

The president of the Nationalist Party's general council, Victor Scerri stepped down yesterday and vowed he would do all that was necessary to clear himself and his family from any smears that could have been left by the mud thrown at them as the Baħrija permit controversy raged on.

The announcement was made by Dr Scerri himself hours after it emerged that the auditor of the Malta Environment and Planning Authority, Joe Falzon had finalised his report on his investigation into the planning permit issued to Dr Scerri for the reconstruction of a farmhouse in the Baħrija valley (see page 7).

In a statement late in the evening, Dr Scerri said it was evident that the debate on the issue left no room for objectivity and there was no respect for facts and the legal procedures of statutory bodies. It ended up being a situation where reason was measured in terms of those who could be the more vociferous. Moreover, he added, what took centre stage was the fact that he was a PN official. This, he went on, was considered to be enough reason so that those who felt like it, would sling mud and make allegations and insinuations haphazardly without any basis of truth.

Dr Scerri said it was just as clear that certain elements wanted to use his position within the PN to damage the party. After all, it was easy to make allegations and insinuations against a public figure. It was in everybody's nature to suspect that a person occupying some office could "arrange" certain things and that such person had more benefits that an ordinary citizen. In this case, Dr Scerri said he as an individual and the PN, with which he felt so attached, ended up feeling like two athletes in a three-legged race.

Things had now reached a crossroads and it was clear that, in order for truth to prevail and for all the facts to come to light, he and the PN could no longer remain linked to one another.

Dr Scerri insisted that he should be treated as an ordinary citizen, free from any shackles that his office imposed.

Any sort of pressure on his family, especially on Mrs Scerri, should stop. He noted that personal and family matters, which had nothing to do with the issue, had been brought into the picture too.

Unfounded allegations of what could have happened and what could not be excluded must stop and instead one should speak of what happened and what one could exclude.

Dr Scerri insisted that he should be judged only on what he did and not on any allegation.

He said that neither the PN nor the government, with which Dr Scerri pointed out he had no connections, should be brought into the picture unnecessarily.

He wanted to be in a position to be able to take all steps he could possibly resort to as an individual and an ordinary citizen, free from any restrictions imposed upon him by the office he occupied.

In view of the above, Dr Scerri said he had informed party leader Lawrence Gonzi and general secretary Paul Borg Olivier that he was stepping down as president of the general council with immediate effect.

He insisted the decision was his and his alone and that nobody had made him do it or encouraged him to resign. Indeed, the opposite had happened as Dr Gonzi, Dr Borg Olivier and many other PN members had expressed full confidence in him and declared he had done no wrong. He was asked to reconsider his decision even when he insisted he was determined in stepping down.

Dr Scerri admitted it was a very difficult and painful decision. However, he insisted that truth would prevail. Thus, as a private citizen he would forthwith be doing all that was necessary to clear any marks that could have been left behind by the mud thrown at him and his family.

"I know the whole truth and I know that I did nothing wrong and, thus, such marks will soon disappear. On the other hand, it will be very difficult for those who frequently handle mud and unscrupulously throw it at one person or another (as long as they feature in some (news) item) to get rid of the marks on their hands and, worse, on their conscience".

Dr Scerri finally thanked Dr Gonzi and Dr Borg Olivier for the trust they expressed in him over the past days.

He also thanked all PN officials with whom he had worked for long years. He particularly expressed gratitude to the party councillors who had elected him as PN president.

Dr Scerri signed off thus: "Au revoir".