Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando’s e-mail to the Nationalist Party listing the witnesses to sustain his request to expel Richard Cachia Caruana from the party was last night sent back because “in no way” did it satisfy the criteria agreed upon.
PN president Marthese Portelli reproached Dr Pullicino Orlando for sending the e-mail three hours later than the established deadline of noon and gave him until 10 a.m. today to present the information afresh, as agreed during Thursday’s executive meeting.
The party will be convening a special session of the executive committee on Tuesday to hear Dr Pullicino Orlando’s request to expel Malta’s former EU envoy.
In his e-mail, Dr Pullicino Orlando indicated five witnesses to substantiate his claims that Mr Cachia Caruana had colluded with Labour officials to feather his nest between 1996 and 1998; colluded with officials from foreign states to bypass Parliament; and fomented the unrest that led to the difficulties faced by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi.
In his letter to Dr Portelli, which was also circulated to the media, Dr Pullicino Orlando said Labour MPs Karmenu Vella and Joe Mizzi would be able to corroborate the first accusation.
On the other hand, Police Commissioner John Rizzo, European Commissioner John Dalli and the Prime Minister’s communications coordinator, Gordon Pisani, would be expected to corroborate the third accusation.
In reply, Dr Portelli pointed out that Dr Pullicino Orlando had failed to present the accusations in a clear and detailed way to enable Mr Cachia Caruana to build his defence.
Meanwhile, Dr Pullicino Orlando urged Dr Portelli to “discourage” the presence of certain individuals who were in front of the PN headquarters on Thursday.
“It would be better for our image,” the MP said, with obvious reference to a handful of PN canvassers and security men who stood outside the building while the executive committee was meeting.
The tension within the party continued to simmer as Nationalist backbencher Franco Debono reiterated he would not support a government that included Transport Minister Austin Gatt.
Taken to its logical conclusion, Dr Debono’s statement would mean the government has lost its one-seat majority but with Parliament adjourned to October 1, the repercussions may not be felt now.
The House can be reconvened earlier if the Speaker feels there are urgent grounds to do so. The rules that govern parliamentary procedure do not define what is urgent, which leaves this open to the Speaker’s interpretation.
But, in January, when Dr Debono threatened to withdraw his support to the government, the Speaker had turned down a request by the Opposition Leader for Parliament to reconvene earlier from its Christmas recess. The PN executive has banned Dr Pullicino Orlando, Dr Debono and Jesmond Mugliett from contesting the election for disobeying the party Whip.
Last year, Dr Debono had abstained on a motion of no confidence in Dr Gatt over the botched public transport reform. On Thursday, Dr Gatt insisted Dr Debono not be allowed to contest the election as a result of this incident.
The party also upped the ante when it approved a list of new candidates that included Dr Gatt’s head of secretariat Emanuel Delia, the architect of the public transport reform. Mr Delia will be contesting the fifth district, Dr Debono’s constituency.