Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi yesterday declared he would defend none of his ministers found responsible of impropriety, as he fielded questions over allegations of conflicts of interest in his Cabinet.
“I will defend no one!” Gonzi said, in response to questions concerning candidate and MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando and Minister Jesmond Mugliett over government contracts his architectural firm had been awarded.
Queried on whether Pullicino Orlando had lied over not knowing who had applied for the construction of an open-air discotheque on his land at Mistra, Gonzi said:
“If it will transpire that there is someone who did something wrong, actions will be taken irrespectively who this person is. It could be Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando, it could be all the ministries together or all the parliamentary group. This person needs to answer for transparency! This person needs to answer for accountability. But there needs to be the process which we have set off on Monday.”
Answering questions about Jesmond Mugliett, Gonzi stated that anyone found in a conflict of interest would be removed from power. “He would be sacked on the spot.”
With yesterday’s theme tagged “stability and peace of mind, or trouble and uncertainty”, Lawrence Gonzi highlighted possible traumas if the electorate chose a Labour government.
Gonzi criticised Labour’s ‘mudslinging’ campaign saying: “Governments are won not by toppling them with mudslinging. You win governments by building from the foundations up and by showing the Maltese that we can work together without leaving anyone out. And I really wish that we manage to make this difference in politics. But it takes two to tango!”
Lawrence Gonzi listed Sant’s negative track record, including the 33 taxes under his 22-month premiership, the tax on every medicine, and the decision to freeze the Malta’s application for EU membership in 1996.
Prime Minister Gonzi highlighted the fact that he has a positive track record under his belt and a “wealth” of electoral proposals.
Gonzi promised that health policies under a new PN government will remain free of charge, insisting that a new PN administration will change its health policy focusing its energy on primary healthcare in community.
He stressed that the economy registered an excellent growth despite the constant oil price hikes. Gonzi insisted that had the oil prices not soared up Malta would have registered a budget surplus a year ago.
Gonzi also accused journalist Brandon Pisani from l-orizzont of asking questions formulated by other parties, although the journalist had drafted his question during the prime minister’s speech. At the protest of other journalists Gonzi withdrew his comment and excused himself.
The day before, Gonzi accused One News journalist Matthew Carbone of asking questions written by others beforehand, advising him to inform whoever was handing him these questions to tell him that “he is not a fool.” (“m’intix hmar”).