Possible candidates for the post of Floriana mayor, independent candidate Nigel Holland and PN councillor Edward Torpiano, yesterday described a letter sent by the Malta Labour Party to the Local Government Department director as a form of “political bullying” and a “political obscenity”.

They were reacting to a news story that was published in last Sunday’s edition of the MLP newspaper Kullhadd, in which Malta Labour Party secretary general Jason Micallef was quoted as saying that the wishes of the Floriana voters should be respected.

Mr Micallef said the Labour Party sent an official letter to the department requesting the appointment of Labour councillor Brian Zammit as mayor since he had obtained the highest number of votes.

He pointed out that Labour candidates in Floriana received 49.48 per cent of votes and this is a clear indication that Floriana citizens support the Labour Party.

Kullhadd reported that the request was made by Labour spokesman for local councils Chris Cardona in a letter addressed to the department director Natalino Attard.

In his letter, Dr Cardona pointed out that Labour councillor Brian Zammit received the highest number of votes (485) and the Labour Party received a total of 715 votes, the highest compared to the number of votes won by the Nationalist Party and independent councillors.

Speaking to this newspaper, independent candidate Nigel Holland said the move surprised him because “I personally doubt how far the director can intervene in this problem.”

Mr Holland said the move created unjust pressure on someone who does not have the backing of a political party and is a form of political bullying. “I believe that they made this move to force me into taking a position that will conform to their party politics,” said Mr Holland.

He pointed out that the local council election took place according to laws that were implemented and approved by the Nationalist Party and the Labour Party.

“The fact that the Labour Party sent a letter greatly surprised me as I cannot understand what the department director can actually do in this case,” said Mr Holland.

“I can understand that they obviously feel disappointed but I don’t believe that the limits of fair play should be exceeded,” said Mr Holland.

Newly-elected PN councillor Edward Torpiano said the Labour Party’s action in sending the letter was “a political obscenity”.

No one has the right to request that the law is not adhered to and it is ridiculous that they want to change it simply because they do not like it, said Mr Torpiano. Mr Micallef knows exactly what amendments to the Local Council Act were made as he was involved himself, he explained.

The letter sent to the department “is a sign of great political immaturity that will eventually backfire,” he said.

Mr Torpiano said that as a PN councillor, he will vote according to the orders issued by the Nationalist Party. The meeting to vote for the Floriana mayor will be held on 2 April at 6pm.

“I still have not yet been informed what to do, but Franco Davies (the other PN councillor elected) and myself will vote according to what we will be told to do,” he said.

Asked for his reaction, Labour councillor Brian Zammit pointed out out that the MLP letter simply requested that the wishes of the Floriana residents be respected.

“When the votes of Mr Holland and Mr Torpiano are counted, they still do not add up to the number of first-count votes I received,” he said.

Furthermore, he added, the Floriana residents will no longer accept Mr Torpiano acting as Mr Holland’s right-hand man.

“If a person claims he is an independent candidate, then he must remain so,” said Mr Zammit.

Mr Holland was elected with 15 votes short of the quota, while Mr Zammit had more than three times as many first-count votes as Mr Holland.

Since no party has an absolute majority, and the council is made up of an independent councillor, two Labour and two Nationalist councillors, the five councillors have to agree on who should be mayor. The law gives the minister responsible for local councils the right to choose the mayor if the councillors fail to agree between themselves.