PN Loses Its Only Xgħajra Councillor As Doris Borg Warns Party Favoured District Competitor During Election Campaign
Xgħajra councillor and former candidate Doris Borg has quit the PN and gone independent, warning that the party had discriminated against her during the election campaign.
Borg’s decision has left the PN without a single representative on the five-person council taking care of the seaside town.
In a statement, Borg warned that the PN showed blatant favouritism towards “the other woman who contested on the 2nd district” a reference to new MP Bernice Bonello.
“There were two female candidates on the 2nd district, and I must sadly note that a lot of promotion was given to the other candidate, particularly on the party media, while I was completely sidelined,” she said. “This was reflected in the result I obtained. Not only was I discriminated against but my dignity suffered a knock.”
“Instead of helping me work among people, they squeezed me dry and threw me away. Therefore, as of today I will serve as an independent councillor, who as always will serve everyone with the greatest loyalty and sincerity.”
Borg received 152 first-count votes on the 2nd district while Bonello received 440. The two also clashed on the 4th district, where Borg received 44 first-count votes and Bonello received 305.
Bonello, a 24-year-old law student, was contesting her first ever election and her performance was enough to get her elected to Parliament via gender quota. Lovin Malta has reached out to her to get a response to Borg’s allegation.
St Julian’s mayor Albert Buttigieg, who contested the election on the 9th and 10th districts, commented under Borg’s statement to warn that “this is the price the party is going to pay for allowing non-elected party officials/s to discriminate and sideline those who did not dance to his/their tune and/or acceded to his/their agenda”.
“Sadly, the party lost another hardworking and honest person, I am sure others will follow… thank you Doris,” he said.
Buttigieg also uploaded a cryptic post stating that “the will of voters and the party has been carried out as desired and planned” and that “a chapter has closed but life and the journey continues”.
Cover photo: Left: Former PN candidate Doris Borg, Right: PN MP Bernice Bonello
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