Former PN leader Adrian Delia defended what he described as a “sincere gesture”, saying he will not stop trying to help people in need.

On Saturday, Dar tal-Provvidenza issued a statement saying it was rejecting a €500,000 donation which was presented by Delia on behalf of the CATCO Group during the annual fund-raising activity on New Year’s Day. The home said the “chairman of the Group did not provide the relevant information requested from him as part of a verification process”.

In a post on Facebook, Delia said some people have tried to ridicule his sincere gesture to help people in need.

He said that in the days leading up to the fundraising event he had collected more than €23,000 from companies in aid of the home.

In the same period, he had been approached by CATCO Group which promised the €500,000 sum, and he had accepted to present it on its behalf. He said that after the home’s declaration on Saturday, he had asked the company to explain its position.

“I did not take any money … and did not issue any personal cheque,” he said.

He said that all that happened will not stop him from trying to help others in need.