Nationalist MP denies conflict of interest over question raised in parliament

Nationalist MP Robert Cutajar has rebutted allegations of conflict interest in a question he raised in parliament, arguing that as the shadow minister for sports he had every right to ask why PBS decided not to host Maltese commentary for 2014's World Cup in Brazil.

Last Tuesday, Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia informed Cutajar that PBS signed a contractual agreement for the 64 World Cup games that also covered the commentaries.

But in the reply, it was inferred that Cutajar may have had ulterior motives in raising the question.

"As opposed to previous years, Maltese viewers can now watch all games on the national TV station for free," the minister said, before adding he hoped there was "no conflict of interest" in the question raised.

Sources close to PBS claimed that Cutajar "approached a number of individuals at the national broadcaster expressing interesting in doing the commentary for the World Cup".

Contacted by MaltaToday, Cutajar categorically denied the allegation. He inferred

that as shadow minister for sport he was surely not eligible to put himself forward as a sports commentator.

"I was caught by surprise when I saw the reply and even asked the deputy speaker to clarify the matter," he said.

Cutajar added that after the PQ time was over, he crossed the House and approached Mallia asking why he had been accused of conflict of interest.

"The minister accepted my clarification that I had only raised question in the interest of sports journalist. He also reassured me that he would find out who had written the answer to the parliamentary question," Cutajar said.

According to the Nationalist MP, the minister had not been aware of what was written in the PQ until he read out the reply in parliament.

"Mallia assured me that he had not been the one to write the reply and that he would check about it," Cutajar said adding that he was curious to know who had "hidden behind the minister to attack" him.

The MP, a former sports commentator and radio broadcaster, said he expected whoever was in charge of PBS to "investigate" from where the reply had originated.

"It is clear that this is someone with an agenda against me. It's not on and I am very upset over what happened."