Labour Deputy Leader for Parliamentary Affairs Charles Mangion told a court yesterday that he did not personally ask private contractors to join the Malta Labour Party delegation on a visit to Dubai, but was approached by several contractors following a press conference for the local media.
Dr Mangion was testifying before magistrate Silvio Meli in a libel case filed by fellow Labour MP Leo Brincat.
“I did not approach the contractors but they approached me after the press conference when we announced that we were going on an official visit to Dubai. I told them to request permission from Opposition Leader Alfred Sant, who gave them the go-ahead,” said Dr Mangion.
In November, three Labour MPs – Dr Mangion, Mr Brincat and Charles Buhagiar – filed the libel case against the Nationalist Party media over what they claim are false and defamatory allegations over the MLP delegation’s visit to Dubai.
Mr Brincat claimed that he felt libelled by a statement issued by the PN and an article entitled Labour MPs and contractors who were in Dubai are one and the same (bicca wahda).
In his testimony, Dr Mangion told the court that the entire trip was organised by Labour International Secretary Joe Mifsud.
“The contractors were on the same flight as us, came on the same tours and stayed at our hotel. They paid their expenses, while the Labour Party paid the delegation’s expenses,” said Dr Mangion. “However, they did not form part of the official delegation.”
Dr Mangion said that the contractors did not attend any of the official meetings that were already planned. “How-ever, they did join us on an on-site visit to a land reclamation project in Dubai,” he said.
In his testimony, Dr Mangion explained that he, along with Patrick Dalli and their respective wives, owned a company called Elcar Development Ltd that develops and sells property.
“Even though Patrick Dalli formed part of the party of contractors that joined us in Dubai, he was not representing Elcar Development but came on private business,” said Dr Mangion.
Furthermore, he told the court that he had nothing to hide and had declared in parliament that he co-owned Elcar Development with Mr Dalli.
He pointed out that none of the meetings held by the MLP delegation were attended for personal benefit.
In his testimony, Mr Brincat confirmed what Dr Mangion said and added that the contractors did not attend any of the meetings that were already planned and included in the programme.
“The MLP delegation met up with representatives of Tecom Investments (the investors of the SmartCity project) but the contractors did not attend and participate in this meeting,” he said.
Furthermore, said Mr Brincat, he is not involved personally with any of the contractors and he reiterated that what was said by the Nationalist media was libellous and defamatory.
Dr Pawlu Lia appeared for Mr Brincat while Dr Joe Zammit Maemple appeared for the PN media.