Christian Peregin
PN councillor ‘retracts’ signature
Sliema Nationalist councillor Edward Cuschieri said yesterday he told fellow councillors he would withdraw his support to a motion that could have placed him as deputy mayor instead of Cyrus Engerer.
The Labour Party’s online platform Maltastar.com, which reported this latest development in the ongoing Sliema council saga, said Mr Cuschieri, 82, was “forced” to remove his name from the motion after being “threatened” he would be kicked out.
Party sources from both the PL and the PN confirmed that Mr Cuschieri promised to back down and apologised to some councillors who were ready to support him.
The retraction is not yet official and Mr Cuschieri is still refusing to comment to the press.
The PN asked Mr Cuschieri on Tuesday to withdraw his support for the motion, stressing that Mr Engerer had the party’s full backing.
The PN would not confirm yesterday that Mr Cuschieri withdrew his name but party sources said he had been in touch with the party and had given “reasons to believe” he would back down.
The motion, which claimed Mr Engerer was not mature or experienced enough for the role, would likely not have been accepted by the Director of Local Government because it was tabled before Mr Engerer became deputy mayor. The director, Martin Bugelli, is tomorrow expected to decide on whether the motion should be discussed or not.
Mr Engerer, 29, was, by law, next in line to become deputy mayor after the post was vacated by Joanna Gonzi who recently took over as mayor from Nikki Dimech when he was ousted by his own party.
While Mr Engerer garnered the third highest number of votes from the elected PN councillors in last year’s election, Mr Cuschieri had the least. However, Mr Cuschieri was supported by the three Labour councillors, Mr Dimech and councillor Sandra Camilleri, who resigned from the PN saying she felt bullied into signing a motion of no confidence against Mr Dimech.
Mr Dimech has been charged with soliciting a bribe and reviling a police officer. He is pleading not guilty.
Contacted yesterday, Mr Engerer said that while the council had gone through “a bad patch” he was confident that work could now continue for the benefit of Sliema residents.
“The PN still has the majority within the council and we will be working together with all other councillors for the benefit of our residents. I still believe we all have the benefit of the residents at heart,” he said.
The next council meeting is scheduled for Wednesday.
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Alexander Pace Gouder.
Sep 16th 2010, 18:30
@ R.Camilleri -Competely hit the nail on its head. I fully agree with you although you put it as a question that Ms.Gonzi and Mr.Engerer are going to feel misrable. Probably the whole Council is going to feel this way. I have to see the faces of all 11 Councillors when they sit at the council table on Wednesday 22nd Sept. Ms.Gonzi and Mr.Engerer plus 3PN Members on one Side. Mr.Cuschieri (who I know well and who loves his party and who has alway worked for the good of The Slimizi) (I am sure that he had to give in to the will of the party or PBO)!in a very strange position- cannot be more clear , and the rest of the councillors? . What a mess and all this because of The Dirty Game of Politics and the involvment of the political parties in the Local Councils and because the Councillers have to be Yes man to their respective parties. AND THE SAGA. GOES ON.
Joe Morana
Sep 16th 2010, 17:04
One wonders whether any council member (or Party for that matter) still dares to speak of 'maturity' for the post deputy mayor and/or for a council member/s for that matter!!! In real ,real terms the 'present' composition of the present Sliema Local Council does not 'really' reflect what Sliema residents voted for and what Sliema resident, legitmately really expect of their elected councillors. Regrettably Sliema residents have been sorely let down in more than one way .
Dr Francis Saliba
Sep 16th 2010, 16:25
Ex-Sliema mayor Dimech opted to admit bribery and to withdraw that statement very soon afterwards - even before the PN secretariat became involved. That mayoral vaccillation went down very well with a politically biased lobby rubbing its hands with glee that his political party was embarassed. The same lobby is now pretending to be furious because a Local Government councillor first signed a petition and later changed his mind. A case of "my party, right or wrong!" - never mind the inconsistency.
GiovDeMartino
Sep 16th 2010, 15:37
NO wonder! An 82 year old brought down Alfred Sant 12 years ago!
Edward Borg
Sep 16th 2010, 14:49
What a sham. We now have a party in government that's frightened out of its socks by an 82 year old - enough to bully and threaten him and make him cast off his dignity to, in typical fascist style, force him tow the party line. One big heave and these pseudo democrats are out. Their only ability is to frighten us with their banality.
l fenech
Sep 16th 2010, 14:44
Qed niftakar f'Sandy Shaw.
E. Azzopardi
Sep 16th 2010, 12:07
If Mr Cuschieri really believed that he was right, he should have been a man of principle and does not succumb to political pressure. This council seems to be made of "puppets on a string". Well, after all, if this is what Sliema deserves, then so be it. It is already in the doldrums anyway. I do not believe that the new structure will be change anything.
MBorg
Sep 16th 2010, 11:38
Why is Mr Cuschieri being forced to remove this signature from the motion ? Why are the councillors not free to choose who is the best person for the job in their oponion ?
Qualifaications are not everything in life. A person might be highly qualified but a very difficult person to work with.
If Mr Cuschieri thinks that Mr Engerer should not be Deputy Mayor he should hold firm and not give in. What is the use of Local Councils if they are in reality being turned into political clubs ?
R Camilleri
Sep 16th 2010, 10:54
Poor Mr Cuschier...he loses his dignity for the sake of the party (a second time) and this is the thank you he gets...in simple words: They don't want him to be vice mayor!!! Because after all, the motion is not exactly against Engerer, but it proposes Cuschieri himself for the post.
This also goes to prove how true the coersion of Ms Camilleri at the Lady Di Pub was and the coersion of some of the councilors into signing the motion of no confidence in the ex-mayor. One thing I don't understand - how people like Gonzi and Engerer don't feel miserable to be in a position knowing that it is not the will of the majority but the "dictatorship" of the Party...dignity = ZERO...the Party = NO COMMENT
M Mifsud
Sep 16th 2010, 12:39
Mhux hekk bqajna! Miskin Mr. Cuschieri ivvota biex Mr Dimech jitnehha minn Sindku u bhala ringrazzjament Mr Dimech qed jinnominah biex isir Vici Sondku.....u HALLUNA!
victor caruana
Sep 16th 2010, 10:19
Gays have all the rights as anybody else.
However, there are gays and gays....as there are heterosexual and heterosexual.
If I go about kissing my partner in public as if I am not much convinced about myself means I am acting like a silly heterosexual.
I consider Gays going about kissing in public as silly gays.
Joseph Carmel Chetcuti
Sep 18th 2010, 00:52
Dear Victor, what is wrong with kissing in public? What is wrong with you? What a better world it would be if all of us went about kissing in public. What is wrong with showing a bit of love eh? Gays have all the rights like anyone else, you say. Like the right of inheritance perhaps. Your attempt at hiding the discrimination of gay men and lesbians in Malta is a pathetic attempt to hide what is obvious for all to see. I bet I know whom you vote for.