Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1210197
2 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 12 FEBRUARY 2020 NEWS Senior Professional Officer (Legal) In possession of a law degree and a valid warrant to practice as an Advocate in the Courts of Malta and Gozo. Having previously worked in other legal roles is an asset. Job Title: Qualifications: Experience: JOB VACANCY MAIN JOB PURPOSE: To assist the Lands Authority in legal affairs and representation of the Authority in all legal matters, including litigation, negotiations and all other legal matters as directed by the Chief Officer (Legal) and/or the Authority. Jobsplus permit no. 131/2019 Closing Date: 17th February 2020 Apply at: hr.la@landsauthority.org.mt https://landsauthority.org.mt/about-us/careers/ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Last summer the PN could on- ly find one person to contest the post of treasurer and after he re- signed in a storm of controversy, nobody else would contest the post. The role was later absorbed by deputy leader Robert Arrigo, who has now also announced his resignation. Information made available to MaltaToday in 2017 showed that the PN had a debt of around €25 million. The figure was never de- nied by the party. "The monthly accounts pre- sented to party officials over the past few years have shown that the debt was more in the region of €34 million with hundreds of thousands in repayments," the source said. The figure was confirmed by a second source who no longer militates in the party but is privy to the financial situation. "In 2019 alone, the party's me- dia arm lost €2 million and the party has so far been unable to put aside reserves to be able to pay back the loan commitments under the ċedoli scheme when these are due in six to seven years' time," the second source said. The party has no cash to run a campaign if an election were called in the foreseeable future. Both have laid the blame on the Lawrence Gonzi administration between 2004 and 2012 and his two secretary generals, Joe Sali- ba and Paul Borg Olivier for the size of the debt. "The PN's financial troubles have long been coming and un- der Simon Busuttil drastic meas- ures had to be taken to avoid banks and creditors from calling in their loans," the sources said. Under Busuttil the PN created the ċedoli scheme to loan money from individuals and restructure certain loans and repayments. The party also placed a number of clubs into a trust, which was used as collateral for banks that were becoming jittery. "It is not just the debt that is a problem but the refinancing programme, which runs into hundreds of thousands. Un- der Adrian Delia, the PN has honoured its repayment pro- grammes but the debt remains high and finding the cash to keep the party afloat remains a major challenge," the sources said. Debt is a constant drag on the party and this created a situation where the party was beholden to big businesses. "For the PN this also creates a far bigger problem of credibil- ity given its insistence on good governance at a time when it has dues with large businesses," the former official said. He said the turmoil the PN faced was the result of deep-seat- ed problems, including the "in- flated ego" of some MPs and the financial state of the party. "Delia has to shoulder respon- sibility but the size of the debt, which shackles ordinary opera- tions and compromises political direction, is a massive problem any successor will have to con- tend with," he said. But it will not be the only one. "Some MPs have been tripping the party leadership from day one that Delia was elected and I fail to see how any successor will manage to handle the inflated egos of some MPs," the source added. In their resignation letters, for- mer secretary-general Clyde Puli and deputy leader Robert Arrigo called out the financial legacy problems the Delia administra- tion had to deal with. Puli said the party had millions in debt and Arrigo said it was only in the past two years that bills for marble tiles procured before 2008 were settled. The former party official said the underlying problem is the manner by which political par- ties are financed, which leaves them at the mercy of donors. "The system is dangerous and has to change because it creates obligations that can turn out to be politically toxic," he said. Gonzi administration blamed for PN's dire finances Former secretary-general Clyde Puli and deputy leader Robert Arrigo called out the financial legacy problems the Delia administration had to deal with