Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi upped criticism of his party’s rebel MPs, particularly Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando, saying the allegations on the former EU envoy smacked of a “frame up”.
Over the past year or so, Dr Gonzi very often tiptoed around the members of his bench who fomented the crises that dogged this legislature, largely shifting the blame on to the Labour Party. But yesterday, there was no tiptoeing.
He said he was “greatly disgusted” at the latest turn of events concerning the allegations levelled by Dr Pullicino Orlando against former EU envoy Richard Cachia Caruana.
He pointed out that the party’s executive committee had clearly established a procedure to be fair with everyone, especially those who were being accused and defamed. This procedure was drawn up in the presence of Dr Pullicino Orlando who, however, ignored it.
“I believe it is being done purposely,” he said.
Speaking during an interview on party-owned Radio 101, recorded on Saturday evening, Dr Gonzi said that as Prime Minister and head of the Nationalist Party he still did not know what the accusations against Mr Cachia Caruana really consisted of or what the witnesses were going to say.
“You have to explain clearly what the accusation is. I still don’t know the details or what the witnesses will say. This is a gross injustice that I fully condemn,” he said.
Dr Gonzi also lashed out at claims by Labour MP Joe Mizzi that former EU envoy Richard Cachia Caruana had intervened when claims were made about a cocaine party on a yacht.
Seeing as Mr Mizzi had been responsible for the police when this alleged incident happened, he should have addressed it immediately. “What did you do as minister? If this is true, what did you do? Or else you are an accomplice. You remained quiet,” Dr Gonzi said.
Labour MP Charles Mangion had resigned as a minister after a person accused of drug-related charges had been pardoned without it being approved by Parliament. “So, what should Joe Mizzi do?” Dr Gonzi asked.
This situation had “the ingredients of a frame up” and false charges intended to damage the integrity, seriousness and character of Mr Cachia Caruana, he added.
Asked about the party’s unanimous decision to ban Dr Pullicino Orlando and MPs Jesmond Mugliett and Franco Debono from contesting the forthcoming election, Dr Gonzi said they did not follow the party line after a discussion had taken place and a majority within the party had decided.
The government Whip had to see that MPs follow the party line, except when a free vote was allowed, which was not the case this time. “They did what they wanted even though there wasn’t a free vote and now they have to shoulder responsibility for their actions,” he said.
Asked whether last week’s events would lead to an early election or the government losing its majority in Parliament, Dr Gonzi said that it “shouldn’t be that way”.
The party was elected for five years and he was determined to shoulder the responsibilities given to him, he said. “We were elected for five years and not to government exclusively when times are good but also through bad times”.
Meanwhile Nationalist MP Franco Debono said Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi should stop clinging to power and instead go to the President to see whether he still has a majority in Parliament.
The Prime Minister had precipitated the situation with his “dictatorial and totalitarian behaviour” and this should be resolved as quickly as possible because the polls revealed that people were fed up, Dr Debono said yesterday.