Awkward council meeting reveals PBO held meeting with Sliema mayor

The urgent meeting called by Nikki Dimech to discuss “the position of the Executive Secretary” Svetlana Curmi, resolved precious little other than delivering a political statement that “council and executive secretary will work hand-in-hand.”

In comments to the press at the end of the meeting, Dimech seemed unwilling to explain what happened since last week when he complained of lack of cooperation from the executive secretary. As he declined to answers questions from journalists at the end of the meeting, in a Pythonesque moment, Labour councilor Marianne Aquilina interrupted her mayor and says: “Oh come on Nikki, why don’t you tell them that you had a meeting at Tal-Pieta’ at 2pm…”

Obviously caught in a moment of embarrassment, Dimech attempted to fend off questions by the press on whether he had been briefed before the council meeting by the PN secretary general Paul Borg Olivier.

Adding to further embarrassment were the concealed smirks of fellow PN councilors, as Dimech politely declined to discuss party matters and exited the council premises.

The ‘urgent’ council meeting called by Dimech this week had started with a one-minute introduction by the mayor to simply state that the subject of the meeting was to discuss “the position of the executive secretary.”

Little was said of why the position of the executive secretary was in discussion, and indeed, no discussion on her position took place either. Director of Local Government Martin Bugelli was also present.

After his introduction, Dimech asked the councilors to ask any questions they liked. After a few silent moments, the Labour councilors asked Dimech to explain further the reason for the urgent meeting. Some discussion ensued over who was responsible to take care of minor roadworks in the locality. Some councillors said that decisions had to be taken “via email”.

But at the end Dimech concluded the council meeting with a statement that simply said that the council “would be working together with the executive secretary.”

Labour councillor Martin Debono quipped, “what was so urgent about this meeting?”. Things had obviously been resolved earlier in the day, when Dimech had been summoned to the Nationalist Party headquarters to explain what would be happening in the “urgent” meeting he called.

Last week Dimech said the meeting was called was to “clear the air” with executive secretary Svetlana Curmi, with whom relations do not appear to be serene. Sources say the secretary, a career civil servant who was appointed to Sliema council only two months ago, was instrumental in flagging the financial irregularities that were later sent to the IAID for investigation.