Today's parliamentary sitting was unceremoniously suspended by Speaker Anġlu Farrugia after a parliamentary question concerning works in Gozo degenerated into a shouting match.

Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi could be heard repeatedly shouting "mur inħeba" (go hide yourself), apparently at Opposition Leader Simon Busuttil, before Dr Farrugia suspended proceedings.

The parliamentary question, made by shadow minister for justice Jason Azzopardi but asked on his behalf by shadow environment minister Marthese Portelli during the sitting, concerned the use of construction equipment in Nadur during the evening of the Our Lady of Sorrows Feast.

Gozo Minister Anton Refalo explained that a road had collapsed, and a stone wall was built due to the danger created.

But opposition deputy leader Beppe Fenech Adami then questioned the minister about a list of works carried out by the ministry in private land under his watch.

Dr Refalo, however, said that he addressed each case in a speech he made during adjournment last Wednesday, and said that he was willing to spend 30 minutes to explain it all over again.

Dr Fenech Adami said that he had no problem with him doing so, before his colleague Chris Said asked the minister if he could categorically deny that the ministry carried out works in private property under his watch.

The minister said that "as far as I know," the ministry never did any work in private while he was present, and challenged the opposition to go to the police if it had any evidence to the contrary.

Dr Said then noted that the minister's assertion contradicted a statement by his own ministry, which justified various work carried out in private land.

Dr Refalo stressed that he never carried out works for votes - as the husband of former Gozo Minister Giovanna Debono is accused of doing through the ministry's Construction and Management Unit - and also insinuated that Dr Said's brother, former Nadur mayor Charles Said - since succeeded by another brother, Edward - had carried out such work before the last round of local elections.

A subsequent question was made by govenrmnet MP Anthony Agius Decelis, but at this point, the sitting degenerated into a shouting match, prompting opposition whip David Agius to complain about the behaviour of Dr Mizzi.

Dr Farrugia subsequently suspended the sitting for a few minutes, and after it resumed noted that this was not the way for MPs to behave, urging them to set an example for viewers. This is Parliament, he said, not the monti (open market)

Mr Agius then said that he wanted to draw parliament's attention to the "insults," made by Dr Mizzi, before government whip Godfrey Farrugia said that both sides had to work on improving their behaviour in parliament.