Former PN Health Minister Joe Cassar raised a point of order during yesterday’s Bill Consideration Committee’s meeting after Social Dialogue Minister Helena Dalli wrote a “disparaging remark” on a piece of paper and showed it to members of the public sitting in the room.

The committee room’s webcam video shows the Minister writing something on a piece of paper at 1.39.55. She then holds the paper up and gestures to someone to what she had written down.

PN MP and Secretary General Chris Said was speaking at the time.

Dr Cassar immediately raised a point of order with committee President Luciano Busuttil. He said that Dr Dalli had written the words “sigh sigh” on the paper and showed it to the members of the public. This was disrespectful towards the PN MP, he said.

But Dr Dalli insisted that she had only been reading the amendments to the law. “Don’t make me laugh,” she told the PN MP. Committee Chairman Luciano Busuttil dismissed the whole incident as “point taken,” insisting that this was a waste of time. He insisted that no one was offending the Opposition MPs.

Dr Cassar said that he only wanted to inform Mr Busuttil of what happened. After all he is the chairman. To which Mr Busuttil replied “I don’t need you to inform me of that.”

http://new.livestream.com/committeemeetings/billscommittee/videos/42742013

In today's House Business Committee, PN whip David Agius raised the issue with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, who said he will look into the matter.