Abela says there are differences of opinions between PL CEO and others in PL Parliamentary Group
Prime Minister Robert Abela has said that there are differences of opinions between the CEO of the Labour Party, Randolph De Battista, who is also an MP, and others in the PL Parliamentary Group.Asked outside Parliament by The Times of Malta whether
Prime Minister Robert Abela has said that there are differences of opinions between the CEO of the Labour Party, Randolph De Battista, who is also an MP, and others in the PL Parliamentary Group.
Asked outside Parliament by The Times of Malta whether he has faith in PL MP and Labour Party CEO Randolph De Battista after last week's election, Abela said: "Randolph is a PL MP. He remains an integral part of the (Parliamentary) group. He has opinions that are not necessarily the same as all those in the Parliamentary Group. But does that mean that you censure a person? I value people having diverse opinions, maybe some of the opinions he has are part of the message that society sent us. Do I agree with him on everything? No. I don't necessarily agree with him on certain positions, but what is my job? To divide the group, or unite the different positions? What is the strength of a leader? To keep with him only those who have the same opinions as he does, or unite everyone and utilise everyone's talents? I believe it is the second."
Last Saturday the electorate voted in the MEP and local council elections. While local council votes are being counted, the results of the MEP elections were released on Sunday, where the gap between the PL and PN shrunk to just over 8,400 votes.
MaltaToday had quoted sources as saying that Prime Minister Robert Abela had given Social Accommodation Minister Roderick Galdes a dressing down during the meeting of the PL Parliamentary Group and party executive on Monday, and also quoted sources as saying that Abela also blasted the party administration.
Asked whether De Battista will remain on as CEO of the Labour Party, Abela said: "That is a discussion that we still have to have between us and with respect to that discussion I prefer not to comment at this time."De Battista would later in the day indicate that he would stay on in the role.
De Battista, who is also the partner of former PL MEP Cyrus Engerer who did not contest the elections last Saturday, was asked by journalists outside Parliament whether as CEO he still has the confidence of the PL Parliamentary Group and the Prime Minister. "That is the prerogative of the Prime Minister no? I am appointed by the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister decides that. What I can say is that when I was given this position for the first and second time, I had not asked for it, but after I was given this post I always worked so that the party's finances would be more sustainable, as the CEO is effectively related to the administration and finances. I always worked genuinely and naturally those who know me, even internally within the party, can testify to how many times I have spoken internally about certain things that I am pleased now there are people speaking about. I am sure that, even through the Prime Minister's discourse, that we will learn the lesson. It is a shame that the result was what it was."
"Certain things, a few people including myself, had long been talking about."
Asked whether people in the party administration need to take some form of responsibility for Saturday, he said that "the worst thing one can do now in the party, and the PN had passed through this and made a mistake, is for everyone to stay pointing fingers. The most important thing now is to wait for this week to pass, as there is a set of results that still need to emerge, but we focus on the process to analyse the result." He said that the PL analyses every result, even when it won by 30,000 votes. "It analyses the result and the electoral campaign, and change and fix where needed." As for whether the pointing of fingers is occurring, he said: "I am not going to stay talking about social media, but no in the administration, the executive, the parliamentary group, the discussion is mature. I very much enjoyed that on Monday the discussion was mature, and there needs to be more of it. Everyone gave their opinion without blaming in one person or another. Everyone has their role and what is sure is that now we need to take decisions."
Writing on Facebook later, De Battista said he was posting the following message due to speculation regarding a meeting he had with the Prime Minister earlier in the day.
"I was CEO of the PL and am still in the same role," he said, which is an indication that he will remain on. "What is important is not whether I am there or not, as those who know me know that I don't like talking about myself or the work I would be doing in my role which is to see to it that the party's finances are managed wisely. In this moment, the most important thing is unity and that we take decisions about the signals sent by the electorate on Saturday, and others internally over the years."
Prime Minister Robert Abela was also asked outside Parliament whether he has faith in Social Accommodation Minister Roderick Galdes. Abela said that with Galdes "there is not only a level of trust in him as a minister, but also a relationship as personal friends that goes back many years prior to me entering political life."
He described Galdes as a person who worked.
Abela said that in the meeting of the party executive and Parliamentary Group "in general I appealed for sensitivity when we treat people's realities and challenges. I believe that as politicians we need to be sensitive to their realities."
He said that it is a question of people's rights. "So where people talk to us about their rights, we need to be sensitive to their realities," he said, mentioning situations relating to health, housing and social benefits as examples. Going back to Galdes, he said that "there are certain spins from certain media that have to be treated for what they are."
Related
Share this page
Guest Posts by Easy Branches
