Bonġu News on Monday 3 April 2023

Sources: Cutajar-ultimatum ends today

An ultimatum for Rosianne Cutajar to resign from MP ends today, senior Labour sources told Bonġu.

Cutajar is expected to either resign or be removed from the party’s parliamentary group this week. Newsbook published similar information on Saturday night.

However, the MP has not replied to journalists’ requests to comment on the ultimatum. Prime Minister Robert Abela is understood to have asked Cutajar to step down when he spoke to her last week.

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Bernard Grech accused Abela of being “weak, compromised and controlled”. Speaking on Net TV on Sunday, Grech questioned why Abela had not taken any action against Cutajar.

ADPD calls for party financing reform

ADPD said the WhatsApp chats between Rosianne Cutajar and Yorgen Fenech are another reason to detach political parties from big business. The green party has called for strengthening the rules regulating political party financing.

On Saturday, ADPD suggested limiting individual donations to €5,000 per year, rather than €25,000. General Secretary Ralph Cassar said donations disguised as payments to the party stations One and Net have to be stopped. The party has also called for full-time MPs and state aid for all parties that get at least 1% of the votes in elections.

“Another example is Silvio Schembri who is not getting any credibility if it comes to his offices in Siggiewi and Luqa”, ADPD Deputy Chairperson Sandra Gauci told Bonġu. Economy Minister Silvio Schembri has not declared whether he is paying rent for his offices owned by developers Anton Camilleri and Paul Attard.

“Members of Parliament are not above the law, they are accountable like the rest of us, and they cannot abuse the power they have to do what they want”, Gauci added.

Construction: Vella for ‘radical’ action

President George Vella has urged the Planning Authority and other regulatory bodies to address environmental challenges. Vella highlighted the need for immediate action to counteract the negative impact of development on the environment.

Speaking at the Malta Architecture and Spatial Planning Awards, he warned of overdevelopment and uglification. The president welcomed laws regulating the construction industry and urged the regulators to take “radical” action.