Mayor calls Labor MP Jean Claude Micallef a clown over criticism of Marsaskala marina

[ad_1]

Marsaskala mayor Mario Calleja called Labor MP Jean Claude Micallef a “clown” (Pulcinell) and accused him of lying in an interview he gave Sunday to Illum newspaper.

In the interview, Micallef, who was elected in the third district which includes Marsaskala, said the proposed marina would suffocate Marsaskala and the proposal bowed to vested interests. He also alleged that local councilors were not informed of the formation of a subcommittee for the regeneration of Marsaskala when it was established last year by the mayor, only to be dissolved a few months later.

But Calleja had none on Tuesday and in a Facebook post refuted Micallef’s claim that the subcommittee was set up behind the back of the board. Calleja initially described Micallef as a “clown”, but the word was later deleted from the post.

Calleja said he feared no constructive criticism, but called Micallef for lying about the secret subcommittee.

The mayor denied that the subcommittee was formed behind anyone’s back and released the minutes of a meeting held in August 2020. The released minutes show that the mayor did set up the subcommittee and then sought council support for it.

He added: “Jean Claude, if you think that the policy of evil and lies will be beneficial to you, you are completely wrong”.

Micallef was elected Member of Parliament in 2019 in an informal election after Helena Dalli resigned her seat to become European Commissioner. Micallef won the seat after passing Calleja by just 100 votes.

Micallef is the only elected Labor MP from the district to speak out clearly against a massive marina project in Marsaskala Bay. The council also voted against the project and called for the plans to be withdrawn.

READ ALSO:

[ad_2]