Nationalist MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando may have learnt a lesson to be more careful when sending text messages after he mistakenly sent an SMS intended for Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi to columnist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

The message, which Ms Caruana Galizia published on her blog, quotes Dr Pullicino Orlando telling “Lawrence” he “kept his word to the letter” when speaking in public about a divorce debate and referendum next year. “I was merely reinforcing what you said publicly. I kept my word to the letter,” the Nationalist MP said in the SMS.

The tone of Dr Pullicino Orlando’s message implies he may have been rapped by the Prime Minister for divulging what was discussed between them in a meeting on Monday. Another line in his SMS read: “That was definitely not my intention, Lawrence.”

However, when contacted yesterday Dr Pullicino Orlando refused to discuss the SMS or whether he had been reprimanded by Castille.

“I sent that SMS by mistake. I think it is unethical to discuss private messages in public,” the Nationalist backbencher said, reiterating that what he said in public was agreed to beforehand with the Prime Minister.

On Wednesday, Dr Pullicino Orlando said Parliament would discuss divorce next year, followed by a referendum, and the Prime Minister himself had expressed such a wish in a meeting two days earlier. Dr Gonzi later toned down the matter, insisting it was too early to talk of a referendum at this stage.

“A text message is hardly what we should be focusing on at this stage. What is more important is the fact that divorce, for the first time, will be discussed by Parliament in 2011,” Dr Pullicino Orlando said.

ksansone@timesofmalta.com