Pullicino Orlando accuses PN executive president of ‘doublespeak’

Nationalist MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando has accused PN executive president Marthese Portelli of 'doublespeak' over his letter demanding the expulsion of party strategist and outgoing permanent representative to the EU, Richard Cachia Caruana, from the PN.

Reacting to Portelli's comments in The Malta Independent on Tuesday, the MP - who voted with the Opposition to oust bring Richard Cachia Caruana from his Brussels post - said: "I am not, in any way, denying that Dr Portelli has every right to chart the best way forward in any way she deems fit, but engaging in 'doublespeak' is incorrect."

Portelli said that the PN's executive committee will be following its usual procedure which places any recieved correspondence as a standard item on the agenda, adding that it will be then up to the executive to determine the way forward.

Speaking to MaltaToday last Sunday, Pullicino Orlando hit out at the PN executive committee president, who has so far indicated that the executive will "only be discussing" the letter he sent asking for Richard Cachia Caruana's expulsion as "mere correspondence" in the forthcoming 12 July meeting.

He said it was amply clear to him that the matter would not be discussed in the forthcoming meeting, but would be merely read out as "correspondence."

Pullicino Orlando reiterated Tuesday that he had exchanged correspondence with with Portelli, telling her he required guidance as to the procedure to be adopted since he had to prepare his presentation and call witnesses.  

Pullicino Orlando said that "the issue will not be included in the agenda of the meeting to be held on 12 July... I have up to five witnesses who will corroborate what I said with regards to Cachia Caruana."

Asked as to whether he would continue to back government in the wake of speculation about moves within the party to have him expelled together with fellow MPs Franco Debono and Jesmond Mugliett, the Zebbug MP replied: "I have already indicated that I will continue to support the government till the end of the present legislature in my speech in Parliament."

However, Pullicino Orlando hit back as his critics, insisting that it is unheard of for democratic parties to censure their MPs for exercising their democratic rights in Parliament in any way they deem to be correct, even if that may be perceived by some as being against the party line. "Imagine if that were to happen in Britain or in Italy, where politicians in both countries regularly vote with opposing parties on certain issues," he said.