[WATCH] Robert Abela must now show if he is prime minister of a normal country, Delia says

Reports that Silvio Valletta travelled abroad with Yorgen Fenech offer newly elected prime minister Robert Abela the chance to show if he truly wants to start afresh

Adrian Delia was speaking at a party event in Naxxar on Sunday
Adrian Delia was speaking at a party event in Naxxar on Sunday

The revelation that former deputy police chief Silvio Valletta holidayed overseas with Yorgen Fenech offers newly elected prime minister Robert Abela the chance to prove that he is leading a normal country and that he truly wants to start a new page, Adrian Delia said.

The Nationalist Party leader, referring to Sunday’s reports that Valletta had travelled to the UK with Fenech in September 2018 to watch a football match - when the business magnate was already a person of interest in the Daphne Caruana Galizia murder case - said this was the first opportunity for Abela to show if the good governance which the country deserved would be put into effect.

Valletta is married to Justyne Caruana, who was this week confirmed as Gozo Minister by Robert Abela.

In this regard, Delia said Abela must act “immediately” and “must show if he is the prime minster of a normal country.”

The PN leader made reference to a report today in sister newspaper Illum that Abela had wanted to give Caruana the educational portfolio, but that she had insisted to retain the Gozo ministry. Negotiations between Abela and Caruana at Castille were the most lengthy amongst all Cabinet members, and the Gozitan minister’s wishes prevailed in the end, the newspaper said.

“Maybe they were not speaking about education or the Gozo Ministry,” Delia said, as he asked whether Abela was aware that Valletta had travelled abroad with Fenech.

“If you knew, does this mean it was acceptable to you that Justyne Caruana retain her role? And if you didn’t know, now you do, so show us you can take decisions.”

Delia said former Police Commissioner Lawrence Cutajar was reported to have this week resigned of his own volition, which meant that Abela had not dismissed him. “If he (Abela) wanted to show he was taking decisions, he would have dismissed him.”

He went on to question whether Cutajar would be investigated for his shortcomings and lack of action in the face of corruption and wrongdoings.

“I don’t think Robert Abela will decide [to push for this to be done], since Robert Abela had been giving advice to Joseph Muscat, and I imagine he was advising him on things of the sort too.”

Nexia BT should be looked into, Electrogas and Vitals contracts need to be published

Delia said that the government’s relationship with Nexia BT should be looked into, asking what Abela would do about Karl Cini, a partner in the firm whom the Egrant report said should be investigated.

He also asked whether the “obscene” Electrogas power station and Vitals hospitals contracts would be published, saying the PN expected this to be done.

On the formation of a Cabinet good governance committee, Delia said he had no faith in this, since Education Minister Owen Bonnici and Principle Permanent Secretary Mario Cutajar would be members of the board.

PN’s priority is to work for best interest of Malta

Delia emphasised that the Nationalist Party had the obligation “to be ready at all times to intervene for what the country needs,”

“Right now there isn’t a fight between two parties. There is a fight to save our country and lead it into a new direction,” he said

The damage done had to be repaired over-and-above mere cosmetic changes if Malta is to move forward, he underlined.

“We need serious changes in the country's infrastructure. At this time, the PN needs to look at the country’s interest first,” he added.