PN backbenchers in ‘screaming match’ at meeting
Power station debate postponed
Two Nationalist backbenchers engaged in a war of words yesterday during a parliamentary group meeting at Villa Francia in Lija.
Robert Arrigo and Beppe Fenech Adami got involved in a “screaming match”, according to sources, which led to the temporary postponement of the meeting in the presence of Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi.
Sources said that during one intervention Dr Fenech Adami told his colleagues that whoever was not prepared to toe the party line should leave.
Dr Fenech Adami was apparently referring to three backbenchers – Robert Arrigo, Franco Debono and Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando – who appeared on Bondiplus last Monday to talk about their statements of disgruntlement with respect to the party.
“They were told that they didn’t do themselves any favours by appearing on the programme,” the sources said.
Mr Arrigo got up and told Dr Fenech Adami that if he was referring to him then he would leave. The Sliema MP was, however, prevented from leaving by two MPs, according to sources.
When contacted last night, both backbenchers declined to comment on the incident. Mr Arrigo said: “The exchange we had in the parliamentary group stays within the same group.” Dr Fenech Adami said: “I won’t comment on what has been said in the parliamentary group.”
On the other hand, a number of MPs said the discussion was more constructive than expected as the Prime Minister repeatedly ap-pealed for the need of a united group, amid backbenchers’ complaints that they were being left out of the loop.
“At least we were informed about what is going on. This is the way to move forward,” one source said.
The parliamentary group also decided to put off the debate in parliament on the controversial power station extension during the meeting.
Sources told The Sunday Times there were clear differences of opinion within the PN parliamentary group both over the power station contract and the regulations expected to be issued in terms of the amended gaming law.
The debate in parliament over the power station has been postponed until the report requested by the Public Accounts Committee was submitted, the PN said in a statement.
The debate was requested by the opposition in the wake of criticism over the way the government selected the winning tender.
During the three-and-a-half hour meeting, the MPs discussed in detail the lotteries and gaming bill. A number of MPs insisted there had to be a central monitoring system guiding the new gaming law to weed out any potential abuse, sources said.
The main objectors were told there will be amendments to the law, which they feared was being unnecessarily fast-tracked.