An emergency meeting of the Sliema local council called by the mayor yesterday to discuss “the position of the executive secretary” left everybody none the wiser as to what the “emergency” was.
In a very subdued tone, Mayor Nikki Dimech failed to point out what the difficulties with the executive secretary Svetlana Curmi were, even though a week ago he told journalists the meeting was intended “to clear the air” with her.
The 30-minute meeting, which had nothing else on the agenda, ended with Mr Dimech reading out a prepared declaration that the council would continue to function as before for the benefit of the locality.
Councillors simply stared at one another as Mr Dimech opened the meeting by asking them whether they had any questions to make.
Contrary to what many were expecting, no motion was presented to remove Ms Curmi from her post.
Labour councillors Maryanne Aquilina and Martin Debono pointed out that it was the mayor’s duty to explain what problems he had with Ms Curmi because it was he who had called the meeting.
Mr Dimech did not want to comment when asked by journalists why the change of heart in just a week, citing an ongoing investigation into financial irregularities as an excuse.
He also failed to confirm that the Nationalist Party had summoned all PN councillors for a meeting at the headquarters in Pietà some three hours earlier.
It was Ms Aquilina who spilled the beans about the Pietà meeting, insisting that the mayor tell journalists the reason for it.
Over the past few weeks a rift had developed between some PN councillors and the mayor over a controversial tender for fairy lights that is now under scrutiny. The rift has caused consternation in PN circles because it risked leading to the council being dissolved.
The mayor had originally called the emergency meeting last week but local government director Martin Bugelli informed the executive secretary that since it was scheduled at 4 p.m. it could not be held unless there was previous unanimous agreement among councillors.
When Mr Dimech turned up at the council offices with eight other councillors, they found the door locked and another meeting was set for yesterday.
Mr Bugelli was yesterday present as an observer.
The mayor had not turned up at the council for the past eight weeks, ever since an investigation into alleged financial irregularities got under way. Ms Curmi was instrumental in flagging them within the council.
The matter, which revolves around the extension of a tender way beyond the amount the council could legally authorise without issuing another call for tenders, is now being investigated by the government’s Internal Audit Department.
ksansone@timesofmalta.com