'Every Labour project must be studied for its true motives,' PN leader insists

Opposition leader says people ‘conceding that PN is an effective Opposition’; Labour in government for 10 years ‘no longer a foregone conclusion’

PN leader Simon Busuttil
PN leader Simon Busuttil

In an interview on RTK, Opposition leader Simon Busuttil once again defended his position against a court testimony given by Gozitan whistleblower Joe Cauchi over the works-for-votes scandal.

“As if I’m going to allow someone granted protection by Joseph Muscat to tarnish my name? Of course I answered because I will not allow the whistleblower and Muscat to continue doing what they’re doing,” Busuttil told host Jesmond Saliba.

The PN leader was replying to questions on how the works-for-votes case had affected the party’s position in Gozo and Busuttil’s subsequent presentation of a judicial protest against Cauchi, aka is-Sansun.

Busuttil has claimed that Cauchi’s protection “hinges on his slander against the PN and myself as party leader. The more he lies about us the more likely he is to get paid for illegal works he admits to have performed. In this he is being aided and abetted by a Justice Minister who is shamefully using the law as a political weapon against his political opponents”.

In a reaction, the government insisted that a whistleblower protection status is not granted by a member of the Cabinet but based on a decision by the Attorney General after consulting a judge of the supreme court and the chief of police.

Busuttil was accused by both the government and the whistleblower of trying to intimidate Cauchi as his court testimony is still ongoing. The PN leader’s judicial protest was filed after the whistleblower told the court that he had informed Busuttil of private works carried out using public funds; allegedly, Busuttil asked Cauchi why he had proceeded with the works if he knew that “the PN was not going to be re-elected”.

Busuttil has denied the allegations. He however told the radio host that “private works paid through public funds have continued after the election”.

“I accepted Giovanna Debono’s resignation as soon as her husband was charged. The accusations were made against her husband, not against Debono. But I immediately accepted her resignation. Yet, [Gozo Minister] Anton Refalo still holds to his position, despite facing a number of cases as reported by the media,” the PN leader said.

Busuttil said that undoubtedly the PN was facing a number of difficulties in Gozo, even because “the government did all it could to buy votes and used the hunting referendum to influence the results of local councils elections”.

Asked about the validity of the proposed ‘American University of Malta’ at Zonqor Point, he said that the PN agreed with investment in education: “But the problem with Joseph Muscat is that every project must be studied accurately for its ulterior motives. Even the standards to operate a university in Malta have been lowered.”

Speaking of the PN’s renewal over the past two years, Busuttil said he wanted to reintroduce a “winning mentality” within the PN. “Before people thought that Labour was going to govern for 10 years as it were a foregone conclusion; today they caution that we shouldn’t be written off so easily and acknowledge that today we stand a chance.”

He said that people were “tired of government’s tactics” to deviate attention from its own projects, adding that arguments pointing to the PN’s past no longer held ground.

“Even Labourites who are listening to us right now would agree with us that we have become an effective Opposition … thus I want an Opposition that is a solid alternative, one that comes up with proposals.”