Gozitan candidate Kevin Cutajar this morning was unanimously approved by the Nationalist Party executive committee as the replacement of David Stellini in Parliament, possibly bringing to an end a week of controversy within the beleaguered party.
Cutajar last Saturday narrowly lost a first vote – 42-40 – to Jean Pierre Debono, but the latter renounced the seat after alleged voting irregularities were pointed out.
A new executive committee meeting was held today, with only Cutajar putting his name forward. He was approved unanimously.
The meeting was presided by Roselyn Borg Knight as the PN executive committee is still to appoint its new president following the resignation of Mark Anthony Sammut.
Other Gozitan candidates who contested the 2017 election on the 13th district did not submit a nomination.
The polemic that engulfed the PN over the past days revolved around arguments that the seat vacated by Stellini should be taken up by a candidate from the same district. Others who supported Debono argued that he deserved the seat as he had himself given it up for the co-option of Adrian Delia when he was elected leader.
Debono was among the first tp congratulate Cutajar after the PN's decision, as seen in video above.
Speaking to the media at the end of the meeting, Kevin Cutajar said he was satisfied to have been given the privilege to serve the Maltese people.
He said the PN had made the right choice and respected the voice of Gozitan voters, who did not lose any of the seats they gained in the election. He said there was total unity among Gozitans on this issue, and said this should be the case on other matters as well.
Cutajar said the PN had sent a strong message to all persons with a disability; “a message that, despite our disabilities, we can still achieve success with out abilities.”
“This is a privilege but it is also a responsibility. This is only the point of departure,” he said, adding that he looks forward to his parliamentary duties.
Delia said there were no winners or losers in Saturday’s vote, only lessons learnt.
“Something good always comes out when a party is able to debate and analyse matters and acknowledge the challenges before it. This was a win for the country and for the concept of just representation,” he said.
“I do not look at Kevin as a person with a disability but as a person with abilities, one of which, as we have discovered, is to bring unity to the Nationalist Party.”
Asked what would be acceptable gap between PL and PN in the next general election, Delia said “the important thing is that we reach milestones, idenfity our weaknesses, see where we need to restructure but also acknowledge our strengths.”
“The party turns 140 years old next year. The question is whether we will be 140 years old or 140 years young. From the way the discussion went today, I am confident that we can do this together.”
Asked if the impasse has now been resolved, Delia said he cannot say that it has been resolved because these things do not happen overnight, but certainly a milestone has been reached.
“It’s a step in the right direction that we discussed and analysed, but the sensation I felt today is that we recognise that we are in a difficult position, we know our limitations but we need to discover more where our strengths are, where they lie, how we can reinforce them and how we can, together, we can start looking forward and start achieving success.”
Delia said the PN was naturally concerned with the EP and local council election results. “We have to aknowledge the message given by the electorate but we have to move forward.”
Asked about Herman Schiavone’s suspension (as a result of the meeting he held with Yorgen Fenech), Delia said the issue was still being looked into by a board and decision will be taken once that process is concluded.
Addressing the media before the meeting, Delia said that since Cutajar was the only candidate, there is no need for him to make a presentation (as he had done last week) and the executive committee will then make its decision.
He said that secretary general Clyde Puli during the week informed other candidates on the 13th district about the PN's plans to co-opt a candidate who had contested in Gozo. The moment the PN decided that the candidate should be co-opted from the 13th district it was only logical that all candidates who had contested there are informed about the decision.
The important thing now is for the PN to fill the vacant seat so that it can continue to carry out its work with a full group, he said.
He said the PN will work to strengthen its structures to be able to communicate its message to the electorate in a more efficient way.