The anticipated showdown in the Nationalist Party executive between backbencher Franco Debono and Transport Minister Austin Gatt on public transport reform did not materialise yesterday and the discussion was postponed to Monday.

Dr Debono has said he would abstain when a vote is taken on a Labour Party parliamentary motion criticising the public transport reform. The motion also calls for Dr Gatt’s resignation.

After leaving the meeting, which lasted almost two hours, Dr Debono said he had not changed his stand and would be abstaining when Parliament debated the motion on November 4.

It was Dr Debono who requested that public transport reform be put on the agenda of yesterday’s PN executive council meeting. He wants the minister to assume political responsibility for the problematic bus service.

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi confirmed that the discussion on public transport was postponed to give Dr Gatt the chance to explain the new changes to the bus network announced last week.

Dr Gonzi said that he gave an overview of the economic situation in view of the important EU heads of government summit on Sunday that is supposed to agree on a final solution to the eurozone’s debt crisis.

The latest developments in Libya were also addressed, he said.

However, Dr Gonzi walked away when asked about Dr Debono’s decision to abstain on Labour’s motion.

Dr Gatt, who has already declared that he would resign if the Labour motion was approved, looked unperturbed by the brewing controversy that could cost him his job and after the meeting insisted that, “unlike others”, he did not publicly discuss matters debated in the executive.

Sources said the meeting was very calm and Dr Gonzi’s proposal to postpone the public transport debate was accepted without contestation. However, the sources said Dr Debono said he had already made up his mind and the postponement would give others a chance to reach their own conclusion on the matter.

ksansone@timesofmalta.com