‘Curse of the fifth district’ continues, as Zurrieq candidate awaits PN approval

Aspiring Nationalist candidate Anthony Bezzina has been left on the PN's shelf, failing to appear on the PN's list of approved candidates for the coming elections.

The list - which so far includes 60 candidates - may still be updated, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi had said when unveiling the names last week.

The omission appears to reconfirm perceptions that the fifth district - from which maverick backbencher Franco Debono was elevated to Parliament in 2008 - remains a headache for the PN following Debono's rupture with the party.

Bezzina, who if approved will be contesting precisely the fifth district, has been pushed by PN veteran Ninu Zammit.

Considered the most active of the fifth district's prospective candidates, Bezzina's failure to feature in the PN's preliminary list has raised speculation as to why his candidature was not yet approved in the first round.

The PN has told MaltaToday that decisions regarding candidatures are solely within the discretion of the PN executive council.

However, the spokesman pointed out that the electorate should expect more candidates since the list approved on the 12 July is a preliminary one.

On his part, Bezzina wouldn't comment on the issue. "It is the party which approves the candidates and any questions should be directed to it," he said.

In the past months, Bezzina made headlines in the Labour Party's newspaper 'Kulhadd' over allegations that he had instructed government workers to carry out works on the PN club in Zurrieq.

Bezzina has categorically denied these allegations and sued the Labour weekly and General Workers Union daily l-orizzont.

KullHadd alleged that employees in the resources ministry, where Bezzina also works, had been ordered to carry out maintenance work at the PN club, of which Bezzina is its president. KullHadd said Bezzina was Lawrence Gonzi's preferred choice to replace Franco Debono on the fifth district.

The case has been investigated by a board of inquiry set up by the ministry which acquitted Bezzina of any wrongdoing.

Asked whether the investigation had affected his candidature, Bezzina said the inquiry found nothing irregular on his behalf.