Labour candidate denies stapling €10 fuel voucher to campaign leaflet

Labour Party candidate Edward Cassar Delia denied sending out a €10 fuel voucher on each promotional leaflet distributed to his constituents. 

An image circulating online shows a campaign leaflet sent out by Cassar Delia to his constituents in the Second and Third districts, with a fuel voucher attached to it. The voucher entitles constituents to €10 worth of fuel at Auto Hub Limited in Marsa.

The image raised a few eyebrows given the monetary value attached to the 'gift'.

However, Cassar Delia denied to MaltaToday that the voucher was sent out by his team, stating that the signature on the voucher was not his. 

“A stapler can be easily bought from a stationery,” he replied. 

The General Elections Act says that anyone who gives or provides any food, drink, entertainment or provision to someone with the intent of influencing that person’s voting behaviour would be guilty of treating, and possible liable to a €1,160 fine or six months imprisonment.

Any person who gives, lends, or promises to give or lend money to someone in order to influence their vote would be considered guilty of bribery.

While Cassar Delia denied handing out the vouchers, other candidates have sent out goodies to their constituents. Labour candidate Ray Abela, owner of TCTC, went as far as distributing virtual reality headsets to primary school children in his district.

Former parliamentary secretary Rosianne Cutajar also handed out mugs to constituents outside a primary school on International Women’s Day.