Chris Said yesterday denied claims PN leader Simon Busuttil had asked him not to seek re-election as general secretary because he was unhappy over his handling of the ‘works for votes’ allegations.
“This is absolutely not the case because the timing of Dr Busuttil’s announcement was dictated by the fact that Friday marks the end of the nomination period for executive committee candidates, from among whom my successor will be elected,” he said.
Dr Said, whose two-year term expires at the end of the month, was asked for his reaction by Times of Malta soon after Dr Busuttil announced that the Gozitan MP and former minister would be focusing on the sister island, where the party’s support was in decline.
Questions on Dr Said’s political future were raised when it transpired that, in May last year, he had failed to raise the alarm after receiving an e-mail containing allegations of wrongdoing under the PN’s watch.
The claims were made by a contractor, who alleged that he had carried out works for votes on instructions by the husband of former Gozo minister Giovanna Debono. Dr Said defended his decision saying the allegations did not imply abuse. This prompted a barrage of criticism against the PN leadership by the Labour Party at the height of the local elections campaign.
Dr Said commented yesterday he was relishing the challenge of going back to his roots, where the party had suffered a series of setbacks, in an electoral district which was traditionally PN leaning.
“I was never the type of being tied to my post, because even when I was mayor and, previously, at the helm of the Gozo Football Association I moved on when I felt my time was up,” he said.
Looking back at his stint as general secretary, he noted that under his watch the party had made huge strides by addressing its ailing finances and restructuring its commercial entities on a sustainable model.
Asked whether he subscribed to the idea that his post should be filled by somebody outside the parliamentary group who would be able to dedicate more time to such a role, Dr Said replied that he did not see that as an issue.