Puli slams ‘government’s manipulative use’ of DOI

Nationalist MP Clyde Puli slammed the government for the “manipulative manner” with which it uses the Department of Information (DOI).

The DOI is the government’s official information system through which press statements are issued. According to the PN MP, the government was however using the system to attack the Opposition. “These things do not happen in a democratic country,” he told a press conference.

Puli said that when the Opposition makes a political argument, the government should reply with facts and not by calling “someone a liar” in a DOI statement.

Puli said that, during the month of August, the government had issued eight public statements during which it accused the opposition of being an “extremist” and “negative”. “The statements issued were not in reply to some statement by the Opposition,” he added.

Puli said the worst government statement was issued last Wednesday when the Ministry for Home Affairs “insulted Beppe Fenech Adami”.

The statement in question had been issued in reply to a statement by the PN deputy leader who accused the government of telling Sliema residents not to travel abroad due to a spike in household burglaries.

PN candidate Justin Fenech said the Cabinet members could make use of the Labour Party’s communications office if they wanted to deliver such comments.