Pullicino Orlando files motion for voting powers on House Business Committee

Independent MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando has filed a parliamentary motion requesting to be given all the rights of a member of the House Business Committee of the House of Representatives.

Pullicino Orlando, who has sat on the meetings of the committee without having a vote on the decisions affecting the House agenda, said he felt constrained to do so following the government's decision to steam ahead with its €12 million lease-and-buy deal for the private St Philip's Hospital.

"During the last meeting of the House Business Committee I indicated that I felt that it would be an act of contempt towards Parliament if the lease agreement related to St Philip's Hospital was finalised without being discussed in accordance with a related pending motion. It is obvious that the majority of the House feels the same way I do," Pullicino Orlando said, referring to a motion presented by Nationalist Franco Debono.

Pullicino Orlando does not have a permanent seat in the committee, which means he does not vote on decisions affecting the House agenda, which is determined by the government which has the majority of MPs in the committee.

"I do not feel comfortable being party to this shameful state of affairs without at least attempting to avoid similar situations in the future," the former Nationalist MP said, whose vote in support of government depends on consultation between him and the prime minister on matters that do not expressly concern the 2008 electoral manifesto.

Pullicino Orlando has previously raised the matter in the House Business Committee as to why the health ministry was considering purchasing the Golden Shepherd Group's private hospital, which is owned by former Nationalist MP and MEP candidate Frank Portelli, instead of the disused public St Luke's Hospital.

"Government has decided to forge ahead with the deal, exhibiting an unprecedented level of disdain towards the democratic process. It appears that the deal had not even been discussed at Cabinet level before the announcement that it was going to be pushed through was made. The Minister for Health declared as much during the recording of 'Dissett' last Saturday. He is on record saying that the deal was to be discussed during today's Cabinet meeting and a final decision taken.

"One is tempted to ask who took the final decision without subjecting the deal to any form of scrutiny - not even at Cabinet level? Since negotiations have been ongoing for three years now, why the sudden rush? Why aren't we considering the refurbishing of St Luke's Hospital - which would make over 500 beds available, as opposed to the 100 beds at St Philip's?"

Nationalist MP Franco Debono today said his resolve not to support the budget in November had been strengthened by the government's decision to forge ahead with a €12 million lease-and-buy deal for the private St Philip's Hospital.