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local
news
Election sends symbolic message within
PN
Victor
Scerri
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Dr
Victor Scerri, was yesterday confirmed as President of General Council
of the Nationalist Party after he beat with a sizeable margin the
young lawyer, Paul Borg Olivier
The Valletta mayor, was seen to be representing and supported by
a prevailing faction in the Nationalist party. Secretary General
Joe Saliba attained 383 votes or 57 per cent of the votes.
Higher votes was registered by Beppe Fenech Adami who is seen as
a central and neutral figure in the party.
Standing for President, Victor Scerri acquired 479 votes against
Paul Borg Olivier’s 194.
There were 786 eligible votes but only 677 voted.
Over the last few months, displeasure over the methods applied in
running the Nationalist party administration has been voiced by
many party people and the local council elections had only served
to exacerbate this feeling.
Dr Borg Olivier was apparentlysupported by a faction within the
party structures.
The election was also held for the 13 posts in the executive.
There were 32 nominations for 13 posts for the PN National executive.
The elected are : Gordon Pisani 447, Peter Darmanin 443, Beppe Fenech
Adami 415, David Agius 399, Joe Saliba 383, Clyde Puli 376, Paul
Borg Olivier 372, Henri Darmanin 365, Angelito Sciberras 339, Louis
Cuschieri 314, John Bonello 289, Chris Scicluna 286, Michael Mercieca
271
Those not elected are: Malcolm Mifsud 269, Richard Muscat 263, Tonio
Fenech 253, Frank Zammit 247, Robert Cutajar 236, Carmel Cacopardo
234, Herman Schiavone 201, Mike Lombardo 186, Silvio Zammit 177,
Margaret Mercieca 171, Helga Zahra 158. Ian Micallef 157, Marion
Pace Asciaq 15, Ivan Falzon 145, Karmenu Grima 117, Anthony Attard
116, Joseph Bugeja 102
Speaking to the general council, PN Secretary General, Joe Saliba:
"If we do not take care of the Nationalist Party’s commercial
side, we will not survive as a party. We are financed by the people
donate money to the Party and by our multimedia organisation. Ours
is the largest and only kind of such a multimedia organisation on
the island, we have been ahead and must continue to do so."
This was how Secretary General of the Nationalist Party, Joe Saliba
opened his address to the PN General Council, yesterday evening.
The council, which boasts 800 members was only represented by one
third of its members present inside the hall where the assembly
was taking place, while a considerable mass of people was outside
the hall’s doors canvassing, talking to each other and discussing
the voting taking place.
He continued speaking about the Party’s media machine by saying
that the web site had to be developed, since the media is the way
by which the Party communicates its message to the people. "We
must communicate more with the grassroots of the party, everyone
must be informed on what we are doing, what we are achieving,"
he continued. "This is important for the general election and
the referendum – we must spread the message everywhere with
everyone," he stressed.
He also spoke of creating a corporate image for the party, with
particular reference to the Party Clubs, which he said must be made
more vibrant.
He said he did not intend this to be a cosmetic change, but wanted
to turn the clubs into offices, to strengthen them.
He also spoke about the importance of conducting a political audit,
"to analyse what we have, and what must be developed."
In his speech Mr Saliba spoke of the values intrinsic to the party,
"values which we hold dear."
"We need better co-ordination between the clubs, our elected
councillors and the sectional committees," he said, adding
the Party needed to know beforehand, like the big brother, to deal
with the situation the Malta Labour Party was creating.
"Our adversaries are more aggressive than us. We have a choice,
we do not have to be more aggressive, but we must be more intelligent
and less naïve," he stressed.
Speaking to the councillors, Austin Gatt a former Secretary General
took a different tone from that of his fellow councillors, most
of who spoke of the Party, its future and inevitably, the results
of the Local Council elections. "I am going to switch from
the results of the local council elections and speak pure Maltese,"
he began. He continued his intervention by speaking of the motion
presented in Parliament yesterday morning, by Opposition Leader
Dr Alfred Sant and Dr Anglu Farrugia. The motion was to take a protest
vote in the Prime Minister and Dr Gatt himself. Dr Gatt referred
to Dr Sant and Dr Farrugia as the Opposition Leader and the man
who wishes to be Opposition Leader. He said that it was a complement
for him to be considered with the PM, no matter what the situation.
He also challenged Dr Sant to come up with a serious referee of
his choice and investigate the case of his former aide Andre Carbonaro.
"If I am found innocent, I stay, if I am guilty I go, but if
I am not, Alfred Sant resigns," Dr Gatt stressed.
Parliamentary Secretary George Pullicino spoke, "One reason
why the party is less popular is not because of its policies, but
because there is not enough co-ordination between the Government,
deputies, our elected councillors and our sectional committees,"
he said. "This is our main defect and we must work to co-ordinate
these aspects and take this work to the people," he continued.
He said that he was annoyed with comments from people he met in
the street who said that the party must take care of its people.
"Although this is not true, it is in a way," he said.
The statement was met by a measure of disapproval among the crowd.
"I am not her to be applauded," he retorted to the council
members’ reaction.
He continued his interjection by saying that the Party must tell
the people how things really are.
"Not all those who appear to be on our side want to move in
the right direction. We are a serious government, we are not in
office for our own benefits," he continued. "The courage
of leadership is also when you follow your ideals, even if they
go against the current. We are not like the MLP, who are ready to
say and do anything in order to be liked," he stressed. "We
must do what the party always believed to be right, this may lead
to an apparent loss in the short-term, but in the long-term, we
will win," he said.
Closing the first session of the General Council, Deputy Leader
Lawrence Gonzi thanked the PN for all their hard work and time.
He said that people are jealous of the high standards of the PN’s
media, but this is important but it is the way to send the message
to the people.
As in the past the PN is once again deciding the country’s
future.
He spoke about the importance of education because of market demands
for qualified employees.
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