Sant to boycott parliamentary sitting honouring EP President

Sant’s position comes in the wake of a ruling given by Speaker Michael Frendo following accusations by Sant that the government acted in contempt of the house (parliament) when it decided to raise MPs’ honoraria in the manner it did, and how the information was eventually disclosed – two and a half years later.

This, Sant maintained, was done in a way that put MPs in a bad light.

But in his ruling, delivered late on Saturday 22 January evening, Frendo determined that Cabinet’s decision to raise MPs’ honoraria without informing neither the Speaker nor the Clerk of the House, was “anomalous” but “not in contempt of the House.”

Replying to Sant’s letter, Frendo maintained that he did not feel the matter was an act of omission which obstructed or impeded the House in the way it carries out its functions.

At the same time however, Frendo agreed with Sant that such a move should not be made again in the best interest of the continuous relation between the House and the Executive.

Reacting to Frendo’s ruling on Sunday morning, Sant said this was the first time, throughout the whole three years which he has served as an MP, that he felt embarrassed to form part of the House (of Parliament). In order to express his sentiment, Sant informed Frendo that he would not be attending today’s sitting.

In his letter, Sant maintained that he would not be doing this in disrespect towards European Parliament President Jerzy Karol Buzek, or other members addressing the House that sitting, but to express concern at how the leading Constitutional democratic institution being “undermined and shown contempt” as if nothing untoward was going on.