Franco Mercieca files libel case against PN newspaper

Parliamentary Secretary Franco Mercieca is filing for libel against PN organ Media.Link, over a report in its weekly Il-Mument claiming that Mercieca was disregarding the ministerial code of ethics by continuing his private practice and advertising his services as an ophthalmologist and as a consultant at a private clinic in Victoria, Gozo.

The newspaper published a photo of the façade of the clinic, which still lists Mercieca's name as one of the consultants offering his services.

Contacted by MaltaToday, Mercieca "categorically denied" the allegations that he advertised his services at Joseph's Dispensing Opticians, and said that the report only sought to damage his reputation and work.

"The advertising the PN newspaper is referring to is simply an information table displaying the names of consultants that serve, or used to serve, at the premises. Moreover, the parliamentary secretary has no control over the display itself, its correctness or its updates," Owen Grech, the parliamentary secretariat's head of communications said.

Grech said that the last time Mercieca offered his services at the said Victoria pharmacy was back in February, before his election.

"Following his pledge with Joseph Muscat, Mercieca stopped all his private practice in June and now, the ophthalmologic services he offers are those at Mater Dei Hospital and the Gozo General Hospital."

Mercieca was granted a special dispensation from Muscat to continue his private practice and carry out eye surgery at St James Hospital, a private hospital.

Citing his specialist profession as the only ophthalmic surgeon specializing in cornea and anterior segment surgery, Muscat had granted Mercieca a limited waiver back in March, granting him permission to continue conducting eye surgery in the case of patients requiring procedures only he could perform locally.

However, in June, an undercover investigation revealed that the parliamentary secretary was still carrying out laser surgery and cataracts operations at a private hospital, Joseph Muscat had said that Mercieca was in the process of phasing out his private practice by end of September.

Under political pressure, Mercieca later agreed to stop all private operations. However last Sunday, Il-Mument alleged that Mercieca was advertising his services in a private clinic in Gozo.

"The only practice Franco Mercieca conducts is at Mater Dei and the Gozo General Hospital, which services are done for free," Mercieca's spokesperson stressed.

He said that the parliamentary secretary was not breaching the parliamentary code of ethics which dictates that ministers and parliamentary secretaries are expected not to continue with private work to devote their whole time to official duties.

Meanwhile, Il-Mument also landed in hot water with the owner of Joseph's Dispensary Opticians, Joseph Grech. Grech's lawyer, Deborah Mercieca, said that her client sent a legal letter to the PN newspaper to remedy the "untrue" allegation but however, ruled out any further proceedings against il-mument.  "It is not true that the parliamentary secretary was offering his services in that pharmacy. Since the election, Franco Mercieca has not conducted any practices at that pharmacy," Grech's lawyer said.

She said that a simple sticker did not prove that Mercieca was operating there and argued that when clients asked for his services, they were not available.