The local councillor elected on the Labour Party's ticket who got the most votes for the party in Birkirkara has blocked the PL's plans for an independent candidate to be elected mayor.
Local councillors in Birkirkara have been unable to agree on who should become mayor in the locality. While the Nationalist Party received more votes in the locality, in total six PN and six PL councillors were elected, as was one independent candidate - Kaylocke Buhagiar, who used to form part of the PL.
During a council meeting on Tuesday, five of the six PL councillors voted for Kaylocke Buhagiar to become mayor, however PL local councillor Yana Borg Debono Grech voted against. The PN councillors also voted against.
The PL councillors and Buhagiar all voted against the PN's councillor, Desirei Grech, to be nominated as the locality's mayor.
Posting on Facebook, Yana Borg Debono Grech said: "Politics should be a means that allows people like me, who have gained the trust of the people, to do everything possible to best serve constituents who have placed their trust in them."
"As everyone knows, my family has always embraced the Labour Party values and has always been and will remain loyal to the Labour Party, as well as working with love towards Birkirkara," she said.
"Regarding the nomination presented at today's meeting, I took the decision not to support this nomination. From my end I have always been available for discussions that were taking place to find a solution that reflects the will of the voters. I understand that my vote will have an impact on the choice of Mayor for the next three months. I pledge to remain close to the people as I have always done," she said.
In a statement, the Labour Party said that in the first Birkirkara Local Council meeting of this legislature, it proposed a motion to appoint Yana Debono Grech, their candidate who garnered the most votes, as mayor.
"After the motion did not pass and in agreement with the independent councillor who is a former Labour councillor, in the second Council meeting, the PL proposed another motion for Kaylocke Buhagiar to become mayor and for Yana Debono Grech to become Deputy Mayor, with agreement from the majority of Labour Councillors. These motions were filed in light that the Labour Councillors, together with the independent Councillor, secured the majority of votes and support in the Birkirkara locality," the PL said.
The Labour Party said that it is prepared to continue working towards finding a solution that provides a stable council and works for the benefit of the local residents of Birkirkara.
Because the council couldn't decide on a mayor, the PN's Desirei Grech was elected as the interim mayor for the period of three months on Tuesday. She was the most popular candidate from the most popular party in the elections