|
James Debono
The Prime Minister has absolved parliamentary secretary Tony Abela of breaching the code of ethics, which precludes ministers and parliamentary secretaries from accepting private consultancies.
Opposition Leader Alfred Sant has asked for Abela’s resignation after One News recorded the notary setting up an appointment with a woman asking him for advice.
A spokesperson for the Prime Minister told MaltaToday that the stories “churned so far by the Malta Labour Party on Abela do not constitute a breach of ethics.”
The same spokesperson added that ministers and parliamentary secretaries know that the Prime Minister “will not tolerate any behaviour that breaches the Code of Ethics regulating Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries.”
The same spokesperson confirmed that the Prime Minister has raised the matter with Tony Abela following the transmission of the recorded conversation on One News. But Gonzi was satisfied with Abela’s explanation that he has transferred his professional business, namely the notary’s Rabat office, to his brother and his son and that Abela only gets a retainer from the office in line with the code of ethics.
Abela has also assured the Prime Minister that he is behaving in strict observance of the code of ethics.
The Prime Minister’s spokesperson insisted that the transcript of the recorded telephone conversation Abela was simply accepting to give an appointment to an individual who stated that she wanted some advice from him.
“Tony Abela granted this appointment and when he was asked by the caller what fee would be payable, he asked ‘for what?’ (ta’ xiex?). Clearly, the part of the recorded conversation that was aired by Super One TV cannot be interpreted as ‘accepting a private consultancy’.”
Asked by MaltaToday why he had accepted to set an appointment with the person, who had asked him for advice, Abela insisted that giving advice was part of his political work.
“If someone asks me for advice on emphyteutical deeds or on wills, I have no difficulty in giving my advice especially due to the fact that as a politician I also know how laws related to these matters have been recently changed.”
But Abela insists that he never accepted money for giving advice to his constituents.
Notary Tony Abela insisted that he had made it very clear to the woman in the recorded conversation that he will not be charging her for offering his advice and that this was not fully reflected in the conversation transmitted on Super One.
Contacted by MaltaToday, MLP secretary general Jason Micallef insisted that the conversation with Tony Abela was broadcast in its entirety.
jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt
|
