Prime Minister Joseph Muscat yesterday questioned the “clear inconsistencies” in the Opposition’s reaction to the Gozitan works-for-votes allegations.

Speaking during a radio interview, Dr Muscat asked why Opposition leader Simon Busuttil had claimed on Friday not to have known about the scandal, despite a high-ranking member of the PN having been informed of the issue last May.

“I don’t want to use the word lies but there is a clear problem here,” he said.

The scandal, brought to light by a whistleblower earlier this month, involves former Gozo Minister Giovanna Debono’s husband Anthony.

Mr Debono allegedly offered free construction works to constituents using public funds in exchange for voting support during the 2013 election.

Last Sunday Dr Busuttil told this newspaper it was only the previous Friday that he had learnt of the contents of an e-mail sent the previous year to PN secretary general Chris Said informing him of the “works for votes”.

It’s his mess and he has to sort it out

During a press conference on Saturday, Dr Said mentioned the e-mail but omitted the part in which the Gozitan contractor, Joe Cauchi, flagged the alleged scam.

No explanation has so far been given as to why Dr Said revealed nothing about the scam during the press conference nor why he had done nothing about it since receiving i in May 2014.

Dr Busuttil had met the contractor in 2013 but he is insisting this issue was never discussed.

He said he often met contractors who asked to see him about outstanding dues for public works following the change of administration.

Reacting to this, Dr Muscat said Dr Busuttil had to answer for the meetings he had with such contractors.

“It’s his mess and he has to sort it out,” Dr Muscat said.

In a statement reacting to the interview the PN yesterday said Dr Muscat should say what he knew, when he got to know it and whether he had been dishonest when he said he learnt of the case from Malta Today, the newspaper that broke the story.