News | Sunday, 05 April 2009

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Labour officials bumped off Presidential list

David Darmanin
Two senior Labour officials – secretary-general Jason Micallef and deputy leader for party affairs Toni Abela – have been reportedly blacklisted after not being invited by the Office of the President for the investiture ceremony of George Abela.
In contrast, Micallef’s counterpart in the PN, Paul Borg Olivier, was present during the swearing-in at the Grandmaster’s Palace yesterday.
Both Micallef and Abela expressed their surprise at not being invited for the ceremony, where foreign dignitaries, government officials, MPs and party officials are usually on the prestigious guest list.
But it is no secret that Micallef and George Abela frequently clashed last year when the latter was running for the post of Labour leader.
Micallef had shot down Abela’s call to open the leadership election to all paid-up members of the party to vote, rather than just the delegates. On his part, Abela stated he would not work with Micallef in the party.
Speaking to MaltaToday, Micallef confirmed this was the first time, since being appointed secretary-general, that he had not been invited to a presidential function.
“I always received invitations from the Office of the President for events. The last time I was invited to a presidential function was in fact last Sunday.”
Upon realising last Wednesday that he had not been sent an invitation, Micallef said he informed Labour leader Joseph Muscat he would not be attending the ceremony. “The leader was obviously surprised upon hearing such news,” Micallef said.
Tension between Micallef and George Abela mounted when in March 2008 the latter announced his candidature to contest for the Labour leadership, with Micallef giving him flak for abandoning the party in 1998.
After a number of Labour exponents distanced themselves from Micallef’s disparaging remarks, a public apology from the secretary-general followed.
Abela however, made it clear that if elected party leader, he was not ready to work alongside Micallef.
PL deputy leader for party affairs Toni Abela also expressed surprise at not being invited to the ceremony, while party president Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi, and Labour’s deputy leader for parliamentary affairs Anglu Farrugia were, as expected, invited.
“When I asked the Office of the President why I am never invited to presidential events, I was told that I do not feature in the protocol,” Abela said.
“But my question is why? Am I not an official too? My question still remains unanswered.”
Nationalist MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando, who was absent to the parliamentary vote nominating the new president, was seen attending yesterday’s swearing-in ceremony. Pullicino Orlando was also among those PN members who expressed reservations at the nomination of Abela, a former Labour deputy leader for party affairs, for the post of president.

ddarmanin@mediatoday.com.mt

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