The Labour Party paid a hefty price to present its L-Istrina donation in a more elaborate manner - having to double its contribution to €2,000 so the Labour leader could present a gigantic cheque in front of the television cameras.
The Labour Party delegation originally intended to donate €1,000 to the Malta Community Chest Fund, but was informed when it arrived backstage that to present a symbolic gigantic cheque it must donate at least €2,000, the Office of President confirmed yesterday.
Following a brief impromptu consultation meeting, the party decided to double its donation and it was then given a large cheque to present on stage. The extra €1,000 was received by the L-Istrina organisers two days later.
Sources said the Labour Party was further pressured into increasing its pledge when officials saw that the Nationalist Party had already registered its €2,000 donation and PN officials were waiting to be ushered on stage with the large cheque in their hands.
The annual fundraising marathon on Boxing Day raised a whopping €2.3 million for charity.
Replying to questions by The Sunday Times, the Labour Party yesterday denied that anything of the sort had happened and insisted that it had paid all the donations it had pledged for L-Istrina.
"The PL denies the malicious, silly and superficial allegations forwarded to The Sunday Times by people who might take time off to wish others well during the festive period, but whose divisive agenda is once again all too clear, even on occasions of national unity such as L-Istrina.
"Labour paid up all the donations pledged for L-Istrina and this can be supported through receipts issued by the organisers," a spokesman for the party said. There is also some confusion surrounding Labour's donation during the President's Charity Marathon on December 6, when the party was represented by Michelle Muscat, the Labour leader's wife, since her husband was abroad attending a Labour conference.
Sources said that just before the fun run began, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi presented President George Abela with a €10,000 cheque from the Good Causes Fund.
Sources said the Labour Party representatives present had not envisaged this donation, and an individual then handed Mrs Muscat a brown envelope with the government emblem.
Mrs Muscat walked up to the President and presented it to him on behalf of the party. This envelope, however, turned out to be empty, the sources maintained.
The Office of the President could not confirm whether the envelope contained anything of monetary value but confirmed that the €1,000 donation for the charity run had been received.
The Labour Party did not comment on this incident, saying it "would not stoop so low and reply in kind with factual information it has in hand on how certain individuals tried to manipulate a whole series of events through commission and omission."
The Labour spokesman once again congratulated Dr Abela and the Malta Community Chest Fund and pledged to continue supporting them with their sterling work.