In the Press: Gozoworks: Simon Busuttil aware the party would lose 2013 election

MaltaToday

Nationalist Party leader Simon Busuttil was aware the party would be losing the election back in early 2013. The Gozoworks whistleblower Joseph Cauchi told the court that when he met Busuttil to tell him that Anthony Debono (former Gozo minister Giovanna Debono’s husband) had not paid him for works he had carried out at his request. Busuttil allegedly asked why Cauchi had agreed to such works when it was immediately clear the PN would not win the election.

Times of Malta

Former Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi says that the controversial waiver clause in the final agreement over Mater Dei Hospital in 2009 was not put to Cabinet for approval and that he would never have approved the waiver that the Foundation for Medical Services signed with Swedish contractor Skanska. The government says that the waiver will make it hard for it hard to hold anyone responsible for any shortcomings.

In-Nazzjon

Nationalist Party questions whose interest the government is defending in stressing that it cannot hold anyone responsible for the quality of concrete used at Mater Dei Hospital. PN shows that despite the waiver, the government still has the right to prosecute the responsible parties and claims that the government it purposely putting itself in a weaker position. PN also went on to challenge the government to publish the full report made by the experts.

L-Orizzont

The paper also reports the works for votes case being back in Court and whistleblower Joseph Cauchi’s testimony that he had met with opposition leader Simon Busuttil, who had asked why the works had continued although it was clear that the PN would lose the election.  The newspaper insists that Busuttil had therefore been informed about the arrangement.

In another story the paper reports that a group of breast cancer researches within the University of Malta had found new discoveries that should make therapy for breast cancer patients faster. The researchers have now been invited to present their research in European research centres.

The Malta Independent

The government is still considering hosting Libya peace talks in Malta after the Tripoli authorities requested meeting in January. The government still does not recognize the Tripoli government, but the meeting would see Libyan factions meeting to form a united government. The government has however taken some five months to decide whether or not to host such a meeting.