Health minister rubbishes pre-election ‘giveaways’ claims

Health minister Chris Fearne has dismissed rumours that he had handed out hampers and cans of corned beef with his face printed on the packaging during the election campaign in an attempt to buy votes.

The minister was responding to a parliamentary question by Opposition MP Beppe Fenech Adami, who asked Fearne how many hampers had been given away. He asked the minister whether he was aware that such giveaways constituted corrupt practices and were prohibited by law.

Fearne insisted that the photo that had been circulated on social media in the final weeks of the campaign was from a raffle organised by the minister “months before the election”.

 “I would like to ask your colleagues whether they had given away any items before the election,” said Fearne “Before you repeat facts you would do well to verify them.”