News 28/07/2002

Alfred Sant keeps mum on Louis Buhagiar

Labour leader Alfred Sant held tight to the party’s non-reaction to Professor Louis Buhagiar’s habit of charging exorbitant fees, which have brought him to the attention of British emergency medical insurance agencies.

On Monday this newspaper faxed the Labour leader a number of questions in relation to the revelations made by MaltaToday last Sunday. A follow-up telephone call on Wednesday to Dr Sant’s office confirmed that he had received the fax. A reminder was faxed one more time on Friday, five days after the questions were initially sent. However, until going to print yesterday the Labour leader had not replied to the questions.

In April this year MaltaToday had also asked Labour Party Secretary General, Jimmy Magro, for his reaction to the decision handed down by the Small Claims Tribunal, which found the fees charged by the former Parliamentary Secretary to a terminally ill patient to be ‘excessive’.

Mr Magro had also chosen not to answer the questions put to him by this newspaper.

In the most recent fax, this newspaper asked Dr Sant whether the party has discussed the issue of overcharging with Prof. Buhagiar fater it was raised by the UK insurance industry. Dr Sant was also asked for his reaction to the decision handed down by the Small Claims Tribunal in January this year.

The Labour Party has chosen silence - so far.