The Government insisted again today that there is no urgency for Parliament to debate an Opposition motion about its plans to privatise 32 car parks, once the plans have been shelved.

Leader of the House Tonio Borg suggested at a meeting of the House Business Committee that the debate should start on November 12.

Opposition deputy leader Anġlu Farrugia said the proposed date was 'absolutely' unacceptable, especially since the Government did not enjoy a parliamentary majority. He insisted the debate should start next week.

The Opposition called for a debate on Monday and insisted on urgency, even though plans for the car park have been put off. Nationalist MP Franco Debono had said he would move an amendment as a vote of no confidence in Transport and Infrastructure Minister Austin Gatt. Today he presented a separate motion of no confidence in the minister.

When the committee meeting started, Dr Borg said that while the Government was not objecting to having the Opposition motion debated, there was no urgency once the call for tenders for the privatisation had been shelved. The Government was promising not to take further action until the issue was debated by the House, he said.

Dr Borg said the Government was proposing that the House should next week start and finalise the debate on the IVF law. That should be followed by the debate on the Cohabitation Bill. The debates on both Bills, on second reading, should take nine sittings.

The Government was also calling for the debate on a Bill on the retirement age of judges. The debate on the Opposition motion on parkers could start in the second week of November.

Dr Farrugia said a majority in Parliament, including independent MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando, wanted an urgent debate. 

Dr Borg said the Government was giving a guarantee it would not take further decisions on the car parks issue until the debate was held in the House. It would then be bound by Parliament's decision. However it was more important for the House to debate the Bills he had mentioned, rather than car parks.

At this stage, as Franco Debono tried to speak, Joe Mizzi interjected and Dr Borg replied. Dr Debono protested that the Speaker, Michael Frendo had given him permission to speak.  He then walked out, 'thanking' Dr Borg for not giving him permission to speak.

He said the committee was ignoring the fact that he had presented a motion of no confidence in Dr Austin Gatt and that he had declared he would vote against the Budget.

JPO SUGGESTS THAT AUSTIN GATT SHOULD RESIGN

Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando said it was good that the Government was committing itself not to take further action on the car parks issue until the debate was held.

He said that as a coalition partner he was suggesting that the Government consider the resignation of Austin Gatt from the Cabinet as a way out of the Government's problems.

Dr Farrugia said the Government's legislative programme could be kept and an extra day could be found for the debate on the Opposition motion.

Dr Borg said the Opposition motion presented only last Friday had only called for consultation. The Government had done more, by suspending the process and  promising not to take further action before consultation and the decision of the House. Furthermore, the conditions proposed by the Government for the car parks privatisation were the same as for the privatisation of Hamrun car park by the Labour-controlled council.

At this point the Speaker, Michael Frendo, proposed an interruption of the meeting for the holding of consultations on a compromise date.

When the sitting resumed, the Speaker suggested a debate on October 10 but there was no agreement.

Mr Mizzi suggested that Dr Debono's no confidence motion in Dr Gatt and the Opposition's motion should be debated next week and insisted the Government did not have a majority.

Dr Borg said Parliament would decide if the Government had a majority.

At this stage Dr Frendo concluded the meeting and said he would continue to try to seek a compromise solution.

CONDEMNATION OF THREAT

At the opening of this afternoon's meeting Opposition deputy leader Anġlu Farrugia expressed condemnation of the threat made through an SMS to Franco Debono last week. Dr Borg joined him in the condemnation.

Dr Debono thanked both MPs.

 

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