PN leader Simon Busuttil today said the secret service interviews which Home Affairs and National Security Minister Manuel Mallia attended, are vitiated and should not be regarded as valid.

The minister’s presence was a great beach of security and the interviews should therefore be redone. People should have total trust in this service and partisan politics has nothing to do with it, he said.

Speaking at a dialogue in Vittoriosa, organised by the regional committee for the south, Dr Bussuttil noted the great abuse of power, by minister Mallia and people working in his ministry, is unacceptable. He referred to media reports that the chief of staff at Dr Mallia’s ministry threatened to arrest a person doing his job at the Isle of MTV concert on Wednesday, when he was no allowing people without the necessary passes to enter the VIP area.

He also said the way the amnesty was given and the fact that police officers carried out catering and waiting duties at a function of the European Broadcasting Union reflected abuse of power. Moreover, it does not make sense for police officers to be giving such a service, it is wrong and poses problems to national security, he said.

“The PN cannot accept this,” he stated.

Dr Busuttil highlighted that the PN elected four members in the first four districts, which make up the south of the island, as opposed to 16 MPs by the PL. This is no longer acceptable for the PN he said and it needs to address this deficit in the south and solve it.

He challenged people to change this disadvantage noting that the south must therefore be a great priority for the PN and action is being taken by the committee which will be meeting and speaking to people.

A lot of work is to be done to regain people´s respect and trust by showing them the party is there for them and that it merits respect.

“One person with courage makes a majority,” he said, commending the work of a teacher and Xaghra councillor, who plans to give lessons to children who have fallen behind in school, on a voluntary basis. Her aim is to be close to people while doing so.

Dr Busuttil therefore urged people to copy this example and have courage and conviction that they are able to overcome the hurdles.

He insisted the PN must be there for people who need the party. The promises of the Labour Party when it was in Opposition were void and will result in action to the detriment of people. Mentioning plans for a gas running power station, he said none of the PL councillors in the south have complained against the lack of environmental studies and possible disaster as a result of the gas tanker that will constantly be in the port.

Even though in minority, the PN councillor should speak, he stressed, adding htat people will not feel comfortable and secure with the PL’s work for much longer.

The PN is ready to be there for them and defend them, he said.

PN deputy leader for Parliamentary Affairs, Mario de Marco said the Vittoriosa PN club was celebrating its 50th anniversary. During the past 50 years, the island and the people changed a lot, Malta was not yet independent and still under the rule of the British. It later joined the EU.

He pointed out the process of renewal in the party should lead to change and he would like this to start from the south. The party always got stronger when it was at a disadvantage. As a result, it is faced with an opportunity to renew the party structures, strengthen its organisation and improve its policies.

He noted the party cannot be static as society changes and improves.

“Despite losing so many votes here (referring to the south), this is where we must start,” he said.

The party must look ahead with a sense of realism because it can carry out politics that change the south for the better, making it an economic motor. He pointed out that this year will be a record in tourism, also thanks to work carried out by his ministry in the previous administration.

PN deputy leader for party affairs Beppe Fenech Adami , said the PN is not the party which lost the election yesterday but which is working to regain people’s trust.

The PN had started dialogues back in the eighties and they should continue while giving special attention to the south. The reality that this region is represented by four MPs fills the party with enthusiasm to truly win back what was lost.

While the PN has understood the message conveyed, he explained that the economy is already getting negative signs and sales are dropping. He said that the new style of politics the PL constantly spoke about means appointing the former PL chief executive as transport Malta head and removing the former V18 chairperson to replace him with Jason Micallef, the former head at One productions and former PL secretary general.  

These are challenges for the PN which must defend the rights of business and people receiving health and educational services.

The chairperson of the committee for the south, Stephen Spiteri, said the region has special needs and must be stimulated. Vittoriosa was chosen to pass the message that the PN is ready to work to attract more people to support the party. It is inclusive and the committee members will be knocking on people´s doors to understand their needs.

He urged people to come forward and wok with the committee.