Shadow health minister left out of PN leader’s Australia trip

The Opposition's spokesperson for health, MP Claudio Grech, was not selected by PN leader Simon Busuttil to accompany him to an international convention diabetes to Australia.

It was an irony that did not go unnoticed by inside party sources: fresh from being unaccompanied by Nationalist Party whip David Agius during his press conference reacting to John Dalli's report on healthcare administration at Mater Dei Hospital, Grech appeared to have been unceremoniously left out of Busuttil's trip to Australia.

Instead it was former health minister, Joe Cassar, who accompanied Busuttil.

"Usually David Agius accompanies most of the spokespersons during press conferences, but this time Grech bore the pressure alone. His measured approach and calls for bipartisanship on healthcare have obviously not been welcomed by the inner core," a party source explained.

On the other hand, Busuttil departed to Australia on Tuesday to address the Global Forum of Parliamentary Champions for Diabetes, flanked by Cassar, now spokesperson for education.

Asked why the Grech did not accompany Busuttil, the PN's information director David Herrera explained that former health minister Joe Cassar attended the conference on account of his arrangements and contacts which had facilitated the trip in the first place.

Herrera rebutted claims from within party factions that Cassar's arrangements had been struck during his time as health minister. "Joe Cassar attended the conference because he facilitated party relations with the International Diabetes Federation," Herrera explained.

Simon Busuttil, who won the 2012 MEP of the Year Award for Health in recognition of his work in favour of people suffering from diabetes, was invited to address the Australia Global Forum of Parliamentary Champions for Diabetes, which is set bring together politicians and professionals who have contributed to increased public awareness on diabetes.

Herrera also said the trip was not financed by the PN, but by the International Diabetes Federation which sponsored the trip.

Quizzed on why the media was left in the dark as to the trip, without any press release being issued, Herrera argued that it was not an official party function. "The trip is not a party function but merely an invitation to Simon Busuttil. Consequently the official party protocol was not followed," Herrera said.

Busuttil's trip also included meetings with Maltese expats and New South Wales senator Arthur Sinodinos. "While government has struck deals with Libya and China, Simon Busuttil has not followed up and used his trip to finance deals with Australian supporters," Herrera quipped.