PN PN leadership contender Chris Said said on Indepth that he always was and still is against the sale of Nationalist Party clubs. Interviewed by the Malta Independent news editor Rachel Attard, Said was asked about his tweet stating that, if elected PN leader, he will stop the sale of PN clubs and instead use the space for political and commercial events.  He was categorical and said that, “when I was Secretary General I was against the idea but since the party has structures and the majority wanted it, I respected the views of the majority.”

Speaking specifically about the sale of St Julian’s club Said said: “I did not sign the promise of sale contract. I am against the sale of any PN club because when the Xewkija PN club was sold I met people in tears, people who dedicated their time and worked voluntarily in that club and then saw it sold off. Our activists feel that our clubs are their home.”  

Said said that “the till today the majority of the clubs are not making any profit for the Party but I will make sure that we use these spaces to generate creativity and make them commercially viable.”

The former justice minister, who has been in politics for 33 years, confirmed that he will be contesting the PN leadership race in September. He is the second contender to have confirmed his interest in the position being vacated by Simon Busuttil in the wake of the party’s defeat at the 3 June polls.