PN Credits Bernard Grech For Mosta Tree U-Turn
The Nationalist Party (PN) has officially credited Leader of the Opposition Bernard Grech, as well as the PN local councillors, for being the reason behind the Mosta Mayor’s change of heart regarding the removal of 12 ficus trees… not the protestors who camped in the area all night.
“It is a fact that the visit made yesterday [to the protest] by the Head of the Nationalist Party Bernard Grech, as well as the unanimous request of the Local Councilors of the Nationalist Party, who asked for an urgent meeting, yielded the desired results,” PN councillors wrote in an official statement.
Earlier this morning, Mosta mayor Chris Grech announced that the 12 ficus trees set for removal will remain in the Mosta Square after a turbulent protest the day before.
Grech stated that he and the Labour councillors took note of the clear desire to keep the trees where they are despite the party councillors being originally in favour of the move before significant public reaction.
Moreover, the opposition party released a statement thanking its leader, among others, for applying the pressure and sparking this change.
“Just this morning, the Labour Mayor of Mosta announced that he was giving in to the pressure exerted by the Nationalist Party, residents of Mosta, and other associations, where everything indicates that the trees of the Square have been saved.”
“The Nationalist Party assures everyone that it will continue to work in the best interest of the locality and the residents of Mosta and that it will continue to listen to their complaints, suggestions, and aspirations in order to truly implement a policy of service.”
However, it’s essential to note that every single PL and PN councillor on the Mosta local council was in favour of removing the trees from the square and transplanting them elsewhere.
Opposition by politicians only came once protestors spoke up and garnered substantial public support. Grech then instructed PN’s Mosta councillors to present a motion calling for a re-discussion of the issue and Robert Abela urged the council to reconsider its decision.
The statement was signed by Minority Leader in the Mosta Local Council, as well as councillors and candidates Francis Deguara, Joseph Gatt, Angele Rapa, Aiken Zerafa, Jesmond Gauci, Michaela Ann Bayliss, Thomas DeMartino, Sylvana Demicoli, Garrett Andrew Zammit.
What do you make of the PN’s statement?
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