Jason Azzopardi moves into Franco Debono's district as Gonzi tries to crush rebellion
Parliamentary Secretary for Lands Jason Azzopardi is being “pushed” by the Nationalist party to be active on the Fifth Electoral District, in a bid to oust backbencher Franco Debono, whose antics are said to be troubling the Prime Minister, MaltaToday can reveal.
Debono – the youngest MP on the government side who managed to oust veteran minister Louis Galea and former parliamentary secretary Helen D’Amato during last year’s general election – is reportedly considered a “liability” for the Prime Minister given his recent public outbursts over the new Delimara power station extension that has elicited fury in the otherwise tranquil fishing village of Marsaxlokk.
“Franco Debono is just one of the vociferous backbench MPs who most aides to the Prime Minister are adamant must go,” one senior PN official said, while also revealing that Minister Austin Gatt’s policy coordinator Manwel Delia is also on the list to be considered as a possible candidate on the Fifth District.
His minister – Austin Gatt – is responsible for Enemalta and has fronted the government defence over the controversial extension to the power station in Delimara.
Contacted last night, Franco Debono downplayed the situation in his constituency, and said that “any vote garnered for the PN is important.”
He added that he doesn’t have any indication of such moves against him.
In a controversial television interview aired on PBS two weeks ago, Franco Debono was challenged by host Lou Bondi to qualify his cryptic complaint about “other candidates” who were being preferred on his district, however he stopped short of supplyng names.
The day after the programme, Franco Debono made an entry on Lou Bondi’s Facebook page in reply to a comment posted by a certain ‘Azzopardi’ who said that she had voted for Franco in the last General Election but regretted her decision.
She said, “I just couldn’t listen to his nonsense and went to sleep. Still can’t believe I am so bad at judging people.”
A few minutes later, Franco Debono replied: “Are you from Marsaxlokk? Are you married to Jason Azzopardi s brother?”
Attempts to contact Jason Azzopardi yesterday proved futile.
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