Naxxar Mayor Rejects Bernard Grech’s Call To Resign Over Trade Fair Development Vote
Naxxar mayor Anne Marie Muscat Fenech Adami has refused to resign her post over an alleged conflict of interest, spurning a request by her party’s leader Bernard Grech.
In a statement, Muscat Fenech Adami said she is morally convinced that she acted transparently and in line with political ethics when voting in favour of a major development project on the car park of the former Trade Fair.
“I conscientiously believe both on a personal and political level, I have acted with transparency and political ethics, while together with the councillors, I have sought the interests of the locality and our residents,” she said.
“Therefore, I am morally convinced that I must continue my work as mayor of Naxxar. This is also in line with the strong mandate given to me by Naxxar residents to play this role, which should not be undermined by any political game, especially when it is not based on facts.”
Following discussions with Bernard Grech, PN secretary-general Michael Piccinino yesterday asked Muscat Fenech Adami to resign as mayor in light of a MaltaToday report that she is the company secretary in a firm partially owned by Edwin Mintoff, the architect of the Trade Fair project.
Piccinino told Muscat Fenech Adami that this was a conflict of interest on her part and that the party expects the highest standards from its representatives. He said that the case will be taken before a disciplinary committee if she refuses to resign.
However, the mayor countered that the company she is secretary of, Chalet Bulgari, is only involved in a project overseas and none in Malta. She said that it was another shareholder, not Mintoff, who appointed her secretary and that she has no decision-making over the board.
As for her vote in favour of the development, she said it wholly reflected the sentiment of the entire Naxxar local council.
“This is the political democracy and my integrity with which I have always led in the council,” she said.
Do you agree with the mayor’s decision?