No would-be PN candidate had stayed off the PN list because of the gay marriage promise in the party’s electoral programme, and once that promise had been made, the elected candidates should respect it, Nationalist Party leader Simon Busuttil insisted this morning.

Speaking in a Radio 101 interview in an obvious reaction to the objections by Nationalist MP Edwin Vassallo to the gay marriage law, Dr Busuttil said the Nationalist Party was being transparent in the discussion on gay marriage, in the same way as it was transparent on other issues.

This contrasted with the situation in the Labour Party, where everyone silently followed what the party leader said, even if they disagreed.

Dr Busuttil stressed that the gay marriage law would confirm the same rights and obligations as the civil partnerships law.

“Therefore, what is the use of sacrificing party unity on something which is already there, and has been there since 2014?”

Dr Busuttil confirmed his own backing for gay marriage, and said people only needed to consider what they would do if their sons turned up to say they were gay and wanted to marry somebody.

Society was changing, he said.

Should the PN split on this? That was what Joseph Muscat wanted.

All MPs were free to express their views and were encouraged to do so, Dr Busuttil said, but once the party took a decision MPs had a duty to follow it. It was in the common interest for the party to be one and united.

Therefore, anyone who disagreed should still vote with the party, while declaring he was obliged to do so despite his personal opinion.

CORRUPTION

Dr Busuttil also referred to corruption allegations and the dismissal of senior FIAU officials.

He said that the government and the institutions had not acted against those involved in corruption, but had acted against the investigators. Matters were being turned upside down. People had been dismissed for doing their work.

The PN, he said, would continue to seek justice and he hoped magisterial inquiries would be concluded quickly.

Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri had set up secret companies and no action was taken against them. The PN would seek new methods for such action to be taken.
This was an issue which he expected the PN to continue to follow, even under a new leader.

ELECTORAL CORRUPT PRACTICES

Dr Busuttil said the PN was still building a picture of corrupt practices which stemmed from the favours dished out before the general election. Hundreds of promotions had been made. In Gozo alone, 1,000 jobs were reportedly give with the government.

The government was trying to hide information, even refusing to disclose how many sponsorships were awarded during the month of the electoral campaign, he said.

Giovanna Debono’s husband had been taken to the criminal court in Gozo in the ‘works for vote’ case, which included, for example, providing a pavement for the people.

If that merited a case in the criminal court, what about what the Labour government had done?