Updated: (Adds PN statement)
Opposition leader Simon Busuttil was weak and employed double standards, Economy Minister Chris Cardona said today.
He was addressing a news conference after Joe Cassar resigned as PN culture spokesman yesterday following the publication of a report in MaltaToday that businessman Joe Gaffarena had paid for construction works at his family home.
Dr Cassar was allegedly also given a car by Mr Gaffarena for his daughter while he was health minister.
Dr Cardona said Dr Busuttil was still surrounded by the same clique of people. This was an “error of judgement”, he said, using the term used by Dr Busuttil and Dr Cassar yesterday to describe the latter's behaviour.
The minister said that Dr Cassar’s so-called resignation was a farce as he was not a member of the shadow cabinet. He was merely a spokesman and he was still part of the Nationalist Party and a member of Parliament.
By keeping Dr Cassar on, Dr Busuttil failed a very important political test, the minister said.
Labour MP Deborah Schembri said the ministerial code of ethics prohibited ministers from accepting gifts or services which could create a sense of obligation.
Although there were no legal restrictions, the code of ethics should be taken very seriously and there should be sanctions for flagrant breach of the rules it established.
Dr Busuttil, she said, needed to take hold of the reigns. He failed to take action against MPs Toni Bezzina and Claudio Grech, who made false declarations, and he also defended Giovanna Debono and did not demand her resignation. He only accepted it once she resigned.
Asked about the government’s own position seeing that the Gaffarena scandal was one which involved millions of euros, Dr Cardona said the government was waiting for the conclusion of the National Audit Office investigation.
If political or administrative failures resulted from the investigation, the Prime Minister would act accordingly and without compromise, he said.
The government paid €1.65 million for half ownership of a property in Old Mint Street, Valletta that Mark Gaffarena (Joe's son) had bought for a fraction of the price just weeks earlier.
HE HAS NO SHAME - PN
In a one line statement issued soon after the PL's press conference the PN said that Dr Cardona gave the press conference in a bid to give a lesson on clean politics.
"He has no shame," the PN said.