PN Leader Simon Busuttil has not taken any action against former Birkirkara Mayor Michael Fenech Adami because "he is being held hostage" by the man’s brother, Beppe Fenech Adami, PL Deputy Leader Chris Cardona said today.
Last week, a Governance Board report slammed Michael Fenech Adami over abuse of public procurement policies. It said the former mayor had entered commercial agreements on his own steam, without seeking the approval of his fellow council members. Mr Fenech Adami refuted the claims, and insisted that this was a case of “political revenge.”
Addressing a press conference this afternoon, Dr Cardona said Simon Busuttil spoke regularly about good governance but failed to act every time a similar case appeared before him. “Busuttil is less powerful than the Fenech Adami family,” the economy minister said, insisting that the PN Leader was being held hostage by his Deputy Leader (Beppe Fenech Adami.)
“By defending Michael Fenech Adami he is defending Beppe Fenech Adami, his arrogance and his bad governance.”
Referring to a recent report that chastised former Local Councils Minister Chris Said, Dr Cardona said Simon Busuttil always found an excuse not to act.
The President of the PL’s Councillors Section, Mario Fava, said Michael Fenech Adami was one of the favourites at the PN HQ. “He was employed at Dar Centrali when workers were being sacked.”
Mr Fava said the PN was trying to discredit the Governance Board’s report because one of the members was Ronnie Pellegrini (Helena Dalli’s chief of staff). But the PN media had made a meal out of another report by the same board because the subject was the former PL Mayor of Zabbar. This showed that the PN was a party of double standards.
“Simon Busuttil has failed to take action against the former Birkirkara mayor, probably because of pressure by Beppe Fenech Adami,” Mr Fava said.
PN reaction
Reacting, the PN said that in one press conference, Chris Cardona, who wanted to “fight anyone he disagreed with him with an axe,” had defended Ronnie Pellegrini, Neville Gafa’ and Sai Mizzi.
This was a truly a case of ‘birds of a feather, flocking together,’ the PN said.