Nationalist MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando has accused Richard Cachia Caruana of colluding with high-ranking members of the Labour Administration in 1996 to “feather his nest”, claiming “witnesses” were willing to testify.
I’m planning to present irrefutable evidence
However, he yesterday refused to substantiate his accusations, saying he would back his claims when the Nationalist Party executive meeting discussed a motion he has presented on the matter.
After voting in Parliament against Malta’s ambassador to the EU and causing his resignation last week, Dr Pullicino Orlando went a step further yesterday, calling for Mr Cachia Caruana’s expulsion from the PN.
Mr Cachia Caruana considers the claims to be “ridiculous”, adding that Dr Pullicino Orlando was “obviously losing touch with reality”.
In an e-mail to PN executive committee president Marthese Portelli, Dr Pullicino Orlando said the matter of “great importance” should be placed on the agenda of the next meeting. (His move follows a decision by the same executive committee to condemn the three government MPs who voted with opposition motions in recent weeks.)
He said he was planning to present “irrefutable evidence” to support his claims about Mr Cachia Caruana, a PN strategist. Later, the PN circulated a copy of a letter Dr Portelli sent Dr Pullicino Orlando informing him that she would bring up the correspondence received at the next meeting.
The Prime Minister last night expressed “surprise and disappointment” at the e-mail, adding he would make no further comment on the matter until he takes part in the discussion at the executive meeting scheduled for July 12.
Dr Pullicino Orlando claims Mr Cachia Caruana colluded with high-ranking members of the Labour Administration led by Alfred Sant between 1996 and 1998 to further his personal interests while putting his colleagues in the PN headed by Eddie Fenech Adami in a bad light.
He also claims Mr Cachia Caruana colluded with senior officials of foreign states in “a clear attempt” at bypassing the PN parliamentary group and Parliament, a reference to the Partnership for Peace issue which saw the Prime Minister adamantly denying such claims and publishing documents to prove it.
He further accuses Mr Cachia Caruana of “fomenting the unrest” within the party, causing difficulties for the Prime Minister.
Dr Pullicino Orlando informed the executive committee that he would be amplifying on these points in an interview scheduled to appear in The Sunday Times. When the interview was set up, there had been no plans to deal with these matters.
In the interview, held yesterday, he said he had “positive proof” that Mr Cachia Caruana held private meetings with senior members of the Labour government a few days after the 1996 election.
He said the PN should acknowledge that this was a serious enough issue to give him the opportunity to explain his position in a meeting to be held as soon as possible.
Asked if he would pay the government back in Parliament if he did not garner enough support for his motion, Dr Pullicino Orlando pointed out that this was a completely different party issue.
He said he would “definitely continue supporting the government to the last day of this legislature” unless in extreme circumstances, such as if somebody decided to invade Sicily, he said jokingly in a reference to the “Sicilian” label given to him recently by Mr Cachia Caruana.
“Some people seem to have a racist attitude towards our Sicilian neighbours,” he remarked.
On his allegation of Mr Cachia Caruana “collusion” with Dr Sant’s Administration, Dr Pullicino Orlando said: “I’m not a fool. I’ve been through quite a bit in my political career. I’d never speak out without checking my facts or make my assertions without being absolutely certain the people who gave me the information are prepared to appear before the executive committee.”
Asked what he would do if his party refused to expel Mr Cachia Caruana, he said: “I’ll play that by ear.”
Dr Pullicino Orlando also referred to an accusation by Nationalist MP Jean Pierre Farrugia that he had leaked an internal e-mail of the parliamentary group. Denying it, he invited The Times to check with MaltaToday whether such leaks came from him.
He pointed out that the same newspaper obtained information about parliamentary group meetings which he did not attend.
Dr Sant could not be reached for comment.