Gonzi expected to summon Parliamentary group as JPO move triggers majority crisis

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi is expected to call an urgent PN Parliamentary Group Meeting, as a PL motion calling for a referendum on divorce has caused a political crisis on his benches.

Nationalist MP and divorce bill promoter Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando this afternoon backed a call by the Opposition for the House of Representatives to discuss the Opposition’s motion tomorrow. The call was however rejected by Speaker Michael Frendo in a ruling.

The call, made by Mizzi came in the wake of Deputy Prime Minister Tonio Borg’s refusal to agree on a date for the PL referendum motion to be discussed next week.

Mizzi said that since no agreement had been reached in the House Business Committee, he was calling for the House to discuss the motion tomorrow, which, according to standing orders, is the day reserved for private business.

Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando’s move to back the Opposition’s call for a debate tomorrow has left government without a majority, and the matter is now in the hands of Speaker Michael Frendo who has to deliver a ruling.

Joe Mizzi accused the government of “obstructing” the debate, and said that there was a clear majority in the House in favour of holding the debate tomorrow.

Mizzi stressed that the unofficial seven-day notice period before business came before the House did not apply for private motions. He also reminded the House that the Opposition (within the Committee) had proposed holding the debate on Friday week, but the government had disagreed.

Under the present circumstances, Mizzi requested a ruling from the Speaker and said that he was requesting a House vote on the adjournment ruling.

In response, Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of the House Tonio Borg said there were rulings which laid down that notices had to be given before a vote on the adjournment motion was moved.

He insisted that the government wanted the motion to be discussed “in the near future”, but argued that the procedure cited by the Opposition had never been followed before.

Speaker Michael Frendo adjourned the rowdy sitting pending a ruling.

Earlier, Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando challenged Deputy Prime Minister Tonio Borg into agreeing to hold the debate next week.

Pullicino Orlando said: “there is a majority in the House that wants the Bill to be discussed within two weeks.” He added that the proposed question listed in the Labour motion to be put before the electorate in a referendum on divorce, related directly to the important elements of the Bill.

These elements, he said, which were that people had to be separated for four years before they could be eligible for divorce; that the marriage would have irrevocably broken down; and there were arrangements for maintenance and the care of children.

The Nationalist MP expressed his appreciation for way the discussion was held within the PN executive committee, and added that in his concluding remarks last Saturday, Prime Minister and PN leader Lawrence Gonzi said that if a referendum was held, the question had to be related to the Bill.

Pullicino Orlando said that even the Prime Minister had expressed the intent that if not this week, the debate should start next week. He stressed that the issue is now of national interest and that the people wanted this matter to be resolved.

"It's about time we move forward, a majority in the House wants the debate to be held in the coming days, and this does not mean only the PL and myself," Pullicino Orlando said.

Turning directly to Tonio Borg, who is also PN Deputy Leader, Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando insisted that the divorce question was fair and said one could not have a position which was more conservative than this.

“As co-presenter of the Bill, I would not accept changes,” the PN MP warned.

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Luke Camilleri
Forsi Gonzi joffrilu li johroglu jew jirevokalu xi permess biex jiftah disco il-Mistra u joqghodx jibki aktar!
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Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando - "a man after my own heart..."
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Jeffrey, ivvota kontra l-gvern fil-parlament halli nehilsu minn Gonzi u shabu. PPLLEEAASSEE - aghmel pjacir kbir lill-eluf ta' nies.
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Have a look at the Gonz inthe pix above. Wouldn't the following bubble fit: "Ara dal-mad...ta' JPO kemm kellu jaqlaghli trouble!" The Gons will be hitting the bottle any moment now.
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Joseph Pellicano
gonzi, do you watch milionario on canale 5, ONLY THE BRAVE,u serrah pajjis ghax qallajtna issa.
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Do you actually believe that Gonzi has the balls to actually accept a challenge like this? The only "challenges" he undertakes are the sure winners with no chance of failure. So he can grin from ear to ear. Rest assured that he will wiggle and bend and accommodate one and all as long as he remains prime minister in this one. Like a bunch of wily wolves them and their appendages will hang on in there till they scrap every bit of meat they can lay their hands on. If any at all is left!!!! Rest assured that the people will not forget what a liar he is. Empty broken promises that he will reform MEPA and three years down the line its worse and costs untold times over what it used to cost to get a service from there. The Emails/ letters sent to the AirMalta staff that they wil not loose their jobs, the thieves at Armier that were promised that they will not be evicted from the land they stole from the people. The list is endless. Anything to remain in power. He has lost the plot completely. And hearing him once on a budget debate he told the opposition leader that he will not take his place. I understood this that he will resign instantly from leader of PN as leader of the opposition.
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When Gonzi retires in the not too distant future, he may spend his days drinking like his father used to do in St Paul's Bay. His brother may join him in remembrance of their drink ho! pop and try to forget the chaos they've brought about both in the PN and in the whole country. Sir Michael alone will not be too happy with the turn (or rather, downturn) in events.
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Gvern li jinsab darru mal hajt. u jkompli jikser id-demokrazija mux biss tal pajjiz izda anka demokrazzija tal parlament!!! JPO qabel mal mozzjoni tal partit laburista. dan iffiser li fil parlament hemm magoranzza ta deputtati favur il mozzjoni!! il-gvern juzza li-speaker tal kamra b'mod kif jaqbel lilu ovjamment li l-speaker se jkun ta backing al partit nazzjonalista, ghax speaker li hemm kien deputat nazzjonalista!!! tal misthija kif il partit nazzjonalista qed iggib ruhu. il bicca issa mghadiex biss issue ta divorzzju, izda sarett issue ta demokrazzija!! li dan il gvern jider bi car li mhux qed ikun demokratiku flattegjament tigheu. bil media ta li-statt ikontrollata mil PN u bl-ghola istituzzjoni ta pajjizna tigi iredikolata bdan il mod! il biza tghana ghanda tkun xser jiggri kif toqrob elezzjoni generali?? x'ser jghamel bix jibqa granfat mal potter?? jimla sala fl-universita biex joqdu ji-boowjaw il kap ta l-opposizzjoni?? juzza xandir ta listat bil programmi tal hbieb bix jbellaw ir-ross bil labra?? jew juza il knisja bix tbezza lil poplu li jekk jivuttaw il partit laburista jidhol id-divorzzju u jerga jkonna id-dnub il mejjet?? kun responsabli u halli li nies jideccidu dak li jriddu fil hajja tahom. ghax lilek mandux xjitholok u johroglok xpersuna tghamel fil hajja privata taha!
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Pauline Moran
...Call a General Election, Gonz!...Take the load off your back!
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This is the time. Courage be with you Mr.PM. Call it a day. If you so much believe in the good you done to this country, you shouldn't be afraid to confirm premiership. As for the financing of the Election I suggest you shelve the Gozo Tunnel for after the Election. We're only talking months here.