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Labour deputy leader Charles Mangion’s involvement as notary in the Pender Place sale did not go unnoticed during Labour’s parliamentary group meeting last Monday, with some saying the party was obliged to clarify the matter in a public statement.
During the meeting Labour leader Alfred Sant expressed his reluctance in issuing a statement on Mangion’s role in the Lm10.6 million sale of Pender Place, a government property, which the MLP said was an “impulsive sale, done for reasons which have no proper justification.”
The parliamentary meeting was also informed that during home visits some of the MPs were spending time explaining why Sant was still leader of the party, instead of debating the real political issues. The revelation comes at a time where former Labour activist Anna Mallia is once again calling for Labour MPs to rally around and call for Alfred Sant to stand down as leader of the party. In her opinion column (see page 18), Mallia insists this is the only chance for the MLP to win the upcoming elections.
On Friday however, Charles Mangion issued a statement on the matter accusing the Nationalist media of being unable to distinguish between his professional role and his political work. “I was appointed by my clients who have a right to chose the notary they want. The fact I criticised the government and that I keep on criticising the government strongly is a confirmation that my profession and personal interests do not stop me from attending to my political duties in the best way I can…”
Mangion has accused MaltaToday of “being in collusion with the PN in character assassination” on his part, when asked by this newspaper about his political credibility after acting as the notary of the Pender sale which had been lambasted by the MLP.
He claims his political credibility has not suffered for criticising the sale of the government property and later acting as the notary in the transaction.
The question now is whether Mangion himself believes in the criticism he and the MLP expressed over the sale of Pender Place. When asked whether he would have been pleased had the sale not gone ahead if government heeded Labour’s criticism, Mangion replied: “so what?”
Mangion, the party’s finance spokesperson, admitted he was aware he would be notary on the Pender sale three months ahead of the 23 December sale.
As late as 25 September, the MLP was claiming Pender Place was being sold to finance a Lm4 million investment into the failed Brindisi port, a government investment in the southern Italian town that had been run to the ground by Brindisi’s mayor.
Labour leader Alfred Sant himself, whom Mangion says was informed of his role as notary in the sale, had publicly asked back in June whether “some fat cat” (bazuzlu) had been found to buy Pender Place.
According to official notary fees, the sale of the Lm10.6 million property covered by a loan on the whole sum would mean a notary drawing up such a contract is entitled to Lm37,361 in fees.
In September, Alfred Sant said the quick sale of prime site properties “was not a serious way” to finance the government deficit.
Sant even said Pender Place and Mercury House, the other St Julians property the government was selling, should not be sold “at a time not propitious for such a sale just for Gonzi’s government to cover up its own mistakes… that is why, in the national interest, a complete explanation of how and why these properties are being sold is needed urgently.”
mvella@mediatoday.com.mt |
