Busuttil reiterates favouritism ‘rampant’ in pharmacy scheme

Simon Busuttil on POYC scheme - video by Ray Attard

Opposition leader Simon Busuttil has stood by his claims that the Pharmacy of Your Choice scheme was favouring individuals close to the Labour’s core, discriminating against both PL and PN supporters.

According to Busuttil, these individuals were receiving “a call from the ministry” informing them when and from where to pick up the medicines they are entitled to.

Asked by MaltaToday to substantiate the allegation, Busuttil said the information had been disclosed by a pharmacist.

The said pharmacist was speaking during a political activity organised by the PN in Mosta yesterday evening.

“It is scandalous that the government is now discriminating between those who are close to the core and the rest of the patients. These individuals receive calls from the ministry to collect their package when it is ready,” he said.

Replying to questions after a tour of the Arkadia shopping complex in Rabat, Gozo, Busuttil also appeared to be satisfied by the Prime Minister’s categorical statement against abortion. However he pointed out that “even on adoptions by gay couples, Joseph Muscat said one thing but did another.”

“He has betrayed everyone by initially saying he disagreed with adoption by same-sex couples,” Busuttil said.

The PN leader said that the economy in Gozo was suffering, claiming lower consumption patterns, fewer sales, and accusing government of doing nothing to address the situation.

He said the government had failed to come up with a plan to invest 10% of €1 billion in EU funds, in Gozo. “These elections are not about Labour or the PN winning, but about the European Parliament. The Labour is in government, and so it will remain. But it is also an opportunity for the electorate to send a message to the government for doing the opposite of what was planned,” Busuttil said.

PM visited ‘distant relative’

“Even the planned casino license for Gozo has been put on the backburner… This is a prime minister who is dedicating his ‘positive energy’ visiting his close relatives,” Busuttil said, in a jibe passed on the filmed visit paid yesterday by Joseph Muscat to a relative of his.

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has denied knowing that the family he visited in Senglea included “a distant relative”, whom he denied knowing beforehand.

The PN said Muscat was trying to pass it off as another campaign visit.

Muscat today said that the woman in question was the granddaughter of a Gozitan cousin of his father’s.

The prime minister explained that of his cousins, one was a priest, another had two young children, another was a bachelor, and two others had 10-year-old children.

Muscat also claimed that the reason the family name, as claimed in the OPM’s press call, was changed Buhagiar to Bartolo was a genuine mistake.