How far will Franco Debono go?

Nationalist MP Franco Debono became even more irate when he was told he could speak for only five minutes in Parliament on the opposition motion today.

Transport Minister Austin Gatt, who is facing a vote of no confidence, was given an hour to defend his actions and Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi will speak for half an hour.

Dr Debono said the decision on the allocation of time made him wonder whether he should show up for the vote.

He continues to refuse to say whether he would abstain from today’s vote if the Prime Minister chooses to turn it into a vote of confidence in the government. “Let’s take it step by step,” he said. “But I don’t see any reason why it should be handled in that way,” he added.

Dr Gonzi said the whole Cabinet was assuming political responsibility for the bus reform but did not say how this was being assumed. Although he urged all Nationalist MPs to reject the Labour Party’s motion, Dr Gonzi has refused to say whether this was being viewed as a vote of confidence in the entire Cabinet.

Dr Debono stressed that the vote should be on the individual ministerial responsibility of Dr Gatt and it was definitely not in the government’s interest to go further than what the opposition motion was demanding.

If the Prime Minister turned the vote into a vote of confidence in the government, Dr Debono said, “It would be him who is threatening the stability of government, not me.”

“This is my train of thought: there was a reform that failed but no one shouldered responsibility according to normal EU standards. A motion was presented and the minister said he slept well. Now it transpires there were a number of secret resignations that were refused.

“The question is this: Should no one shoulder responsibility for the failure? Shouldn’t shouldering responsibility be interpreted in accordance with established political practices in parliamentary democracies rather than reinventing the wheel?”

He said the Prime Minister should ensure there was no prevailing sentiment in his Cabinet that ministers would keep their jobs no matter what happened. “Ministers are accountable to Parliament and, ultimately, to the electorate. They cannot misuse the support of their backbenchers, invoking party loyalty,” he added. “This is not healthy at all for the people.”

He said the government should be going out of its way to stress that this is an issue of individual responsibility and not bend over backwards to say everything was decided in Cabinet. Although the reform was approved by Cabinet, it was the minister who piloted the reform and Cabinet decisions were made on the recommendations of the minister in question.

Dr Debono said he had suggested restricting the motion to Dr Gatt and following it up with a motion of confidence in the government anytime, which everyone would then back. However, the offer seemed to have been turned down.

In any case, he said he would be voting with the government in the coming Budget in a fortnight’s time.

Facebook users try to sway Debono

Facebook was abuzz yesterday with several people posting on Dr Debono’s profile wall trying to sway him one way or the other.

Several youth activists of the Nationalist Party pleaded with Dr Debono to be loyal to his party while other Facebook users told him to stick to his guns.

“You have many sympathisers carrying the Labour flag,” one young Nationalist warned him.

Dr Debono took time to reply to some of those who posted messages, telling his critics to remember the importance of basic democratic principles.

Other Facebook users set up a group for Dr Gatt, supporting him for his hard work.