'Borg Olivier told me that if I didn't sign the motion against mayor, I would be expelled' - PN councillor

Nationalist secretary-general Paul Borg Olivier, currently in the eye of a storm over his alleged pressure on Sliema councillors, may have wielded his heavy hand with another councillor.

Sliema PN councillor Edward Cuschieri yesterday told MaltaToday that Borg Olivier had warned him that “failure to sign the [no confidence] motion [against the mayor] would mean we won’t consider you a member of the PN any longer.”

edward Cuschieri

Cuschieri put his signature to a motion of no confidence in mayor Nikki Dimech, who on Wednesday resigned from the PN.

Dimech claims he admitted to accusations of demanding a commission on a council contract “under duress”, earning him an expulsion by Paul Borg Olivier from the Nationalist Party.

A motion of no-confidence presented by PN councillors against Dimech on Wednesday evening is hamstrung by a missing signature, that of PN councillor Patrick Pace, who is on holiday in Russia and whom Dimech claims is squarely on his side.

But PN councillor Edward Cuschieri yesterday declared he signed the motion to impeach Dimech to “toe the party line”.

Cuschieri said Borg Olivier warned him he could be expelled if he didn’t sign the motion. “I signed because I was elected on the PN ticket and I obeyed the directive.”

Asked whether he agreed with the motion against Nikki Dimech, he replied: “That is the PN’s opinion and I cannot respond for that… Nikki Dimech’s case is not clear. Perhaps he comes out of the whole issue with flying colours. Believe me I really don’t know, but I always worked well with the mayor. I never had any problems.”

While it is unclear whether Cuschieri will be voting for the motion against Dimech, the same motion is signed by councillor Sandra Camilleri, who resigned in tandem with Dimech on Wednesday.

She signed the motion in the now infamous ‘Lady Di meeting’, but said she won’t support it after being coerced by PN secretary-general Paul Borg Oivier.

That would leave the five PN councillors handicapped in their bid to remove Dimech. Labour has three councillors, who can be expected not to support any move by the PN to reconfigure itself inside the traditional stronghold.

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Lino Camilleri
Sorry I have to write in maltese but to better understanding. Dawn il kunsillieri mhux ta min jafdom izjed ghax huma bla principji ta xejn. Mela nies ta suppost ta integrita ibiehu l-principju u l-valuri taghhom ghax hekk irid il partit. Dawn x'affarijiet huma. Mela ser ikolli nemmen li veru dawn qedin hemm ghall-interess personali taghhom u ghal xejn izjed. Fejn ser naslu izjed u nibqu noddsu fil hmieg li hawn fil politika maltija.
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Connie Saliba
Submitted by John Vella on Fri, 08/27/2010 - 18:03. ‘Sliema Mayor should resign No Sliema Mayor was not expelled from the PN by PBO as you said above but by the party administration including the leader Dr Gonzi. I am amased how your paper is fighting PBO because as Secretary General he is fighting an alleged gross irregularity.’ OH my God!!!!!!!!!!! Johnny - I think you must be living somewhere else - or else you might be misunderstanding all - Irrespective to all what PBO is doing and as alleged by you fighting GROSS irregularity - Wake up Johnny and go back to the last previous happenings of this SAGA - if things that happened like in Lady DI or the way N.D. was forced to sign that statement - MAYBE things would have moved into a different direction - If N.D. does as you are suggesting than we will never know the truth and the whole story of what really happened. And who are the protagonists of the Alleged POLITICAL FRAME UP. On the other hand I suspect you are someone from the inside Johnny…. who are you exactly? Wake up and don’t forget all what's happening around Giant Gov.Projects - If P.B.O is sincere and honest he should first start looking into THE POWER STATION SCANDAL - Jahsra Paul..... then he goes enjoys a trip on the Boat that cost around a million with the same person that is a majority participant for BWSC - do you think P.B.O has never taken up the phone to lobby or favour anyone in a tender process. Wait Johnny!!!! We all have to wait and see if he is fit to be Secretary General first and foremost.
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Alfred Galea
Or a councillor, his constituents, ALL OF THEM, come first. If Cushy feels that what he is doing is wrong then he should quit the party and sit as an independent and not as another puppet of the party.
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Connie Saliba
Dear Mr.Cushieri, Hear me and hear me properly - Listen I know what you mean when you say you don’t know - I at first when this news broke out the media did direct me to believe that there was something wrong going on at the Sliema Council - but as they say in Maltese - IZ ZMIEN ISAJJAR IL BAJTAR - soon I realised that this was a targeted Political Frame up - Dear Mr Cuschieri this is much more serious than accusing someone for bribes - You know well what I mean cause you were there sitting at the Council and as a Council member elected by the people in Sliema - and not by the PN - I have also hear from a reliable person that yesterday you were asked to go to the STAMPERIJA as we all know it pushed and pressured by Mr. Cyrus Engerer I was told by many who saw you - that you looked tired and nervous whilst entering P.B.O office at the Stamperija - You know well what he told you ... be strong this is another last attentive so he may save his face in front of the media - The fact that N.D. is being accused of mishandling funds is now become a minor issue. Think - look around you - you know well the old times when at one time your family were mintofians and how suddenly you stood up to fight for WORK JUSTICE & LIBERTY - for sure this part of History P.B.O does not even know - Like the Past the Present is important and no one should take from you the principal of Believe and the Liberty to do what you think is right. Don’t let Cyrus dangle carrots in front of your head - you got enough experience in politics and how we should all be free to do what we think is best - Our Party has passed through difficult times to scrub the PAST move freely into the PRESENT most important safeguard THE FUTURE for our children to live better without FEAR - fix xoghol Gustizija u fuq kollox LIBERTA. Your vote belongs to the Sliema Residents so cast your say freely without Fear - P.B.O OR OTHERS ARE NOT THE OWNER'S OF THE PARIT NAZJONALISTA.
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Christopher Galea Scannura
PBO is fighting to save his name!!!
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No Sliema Mayor was not expelled from the PN by PBO as you said above but by the party administration including the leader Dr Gonzi. I am amased how your paper is fighting PBO because as Secretary General he is fighting an alleged gross irregularity.
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“I signed because I was elected on the PN ticket and I obeyed the directive.” Good on you Mr Cuschieri. I shall not call you a clown like the others. But surely, you do not deserve to be in that position. Your loyalty is to your conscience first and foremost. And if your conscience has commpelld you to speak up at least your brain is not as useless as one might take it to be. Have the courage to call a spade a spade. If you opened up like you did, then you do not agree with what Stalin's nephew asked you to do. If you have guts lke Ms Camilleri for for it, tell Stalin's nephew to stuff his threats and quit obeying directives whose only motive is the personal gain of those who utter them. Show what Nationalists of the Barrani and Rabat fame are made of, is this what you fought for - to blindly give in (obey) a silly man's directive? Go for it I dare you.
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joseph mercieca
Minnfommirrih great pice, fantastic, prosit. Counsellor Cuschieri, if ordered to commit Hara Kiri to toe the Party line, would you do it? I bet I can answer that. And hey puppet you were elected not to serve the PN but to be of service to Sliema and its residents. And remember when you go to church ask the Almighty's forgiveness for putting the PN before you conscience. I bet you are against divorce too. Clown!!!!
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MALTA is in dire need of electing a third party. As things stand now theocracy rules but the electorate can outsmart these politicians by remember the following sayings. 1. Politicians have two emotions: Hungry and Horny. If you see him without an erection, make sure you feed his greed. 2. Politicians and diapers have one thing in common. They should both be changed regularly, and for the same reason. 3.A Politician who claims a clear conscience usually shows signs of a bad memory. If God is watching the Maltese, the least they can do is be entertaining. So remember,going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a mechanic. Why debate the resignation of PBO when you have it in your power to change the parliamentary elections by voting only for new contestants. Surely you are in the majority who does not have a cushie job in Brussels or your nose in the nations trough for contracts, bonuses, promotions and commissions. The thing to remember is that unless you take a stand, debates are useless and your taxes are still liable for all this excess. Why force PBO to resign when with your vote you can remove this whole administration. and make your country proud.
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Christopher Galea Scannura
Respect the elderly!!
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Reuben Sciberras
PBO is doing all in his power to bring down the PN Government single handedly. And what a really good job he is doing!!!!!!
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Are these the ones who than speaks against a human right such as Divorce? LOL.