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4 News maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 18 DECEMBER 2013 Busuttil claims 'pre-electoral agreement' between gay lobby and Labour Opposition leader shuns 'conservative label' by alleging that the gay lobby and the Labour Party might have reached a pre-electoral agreement OPPOSITION leader Simon Busuttil has suggested that the Labour government could have reached a pre-electoral agreement with the gay lobby over civil unions and the adoption of children by gay couples. Interviewed by Saviour Balzan on PBS's Reporter on Monday, Busuttil denied that the Nationalist Party had adopted a conservative stance on gay adoption, and instead turned his attention to a possible "agreement between gay lobbyists and the Labour Party" before the general election. The PN has called on the government to carry out an "impact assessment test" introducing gay adoptions as part of its Civil Unions Act, which will introduce gay marriage in all but name. Without specifying which survey he was referring to, Busuttil claimed that 80% of the general public was unsure about adoption by gay couples. "It's for this reason that the government must study the impact of before taking any decision," Busuttil said. Quizzed over the past 25 years – which had seen a nepotistic government – Simon Busuttil said he could not be held accountable for the Nationalist Party's past mistakes. The Opposition leader also defended his position on the Enemalta oil scandal, insisting that he had nothing to hide. Balzan asked: "Don't you think that asking for a PAC meeting was counterproductive?" To which Busuttil replied: "I was the one who pushed for the Public Accounts Committee to investigate the case so that the truth would come out. The difference is that, under a Nationalist administration seven individuals were arraigned in court. Yet, after nine months of a Labour government, no one was brought to justice," he said. Busuttil insisted that he had "zero-tolerance for corruption, zerotolerance for malpractice… I'm not in politics to be dishonest and I won't allow any abuses." "After all the slogans and the various catchphrases that the Labour Party used during the electoral campaign, no one has been charged?" he said. Busuttil took government to task over its 'Malta Tagħna Lkoll' electoral slogan and promises of meritocracy. Simon Busuttil "Compared to the Labour government, the Nationalist administration had been impeccable in its application of meritocracy," he said, adding that the government was now refusing to even reveal the salary of Labour's deputy leader Toni Abela, a government consultant. He also attacked Balzan, saying that Abela was his lawyer. To this, Balzan answered that it would be nice if he picked on his other lawyers, who were not Labourites. Busuttil pointed to the appointment of Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi's wife, Sai Mizzi Liang, as the government's investment envoy for Asia: "Could you imagine what would have happened if a wife of a Nationalist minister had been appointed ambassador?" Pressed by Balzan on what real Busuttil claimed that 80% of the general public was unsure about adoption by gay couples change he would bring about, Busuttil said he would not politicise the public institutions which should enjoy everyone's trust. "Sensitive positions should be free of partisan politics. A role such as that of the Police Commissioner should enjoy everyone's trust… but the current Commissioner was elevated because he was close to the PL," he said. Busuttil was equally critical of the memorandum of understanding that Malta signed with the Chinese state-owned company, selling stakes at Enemalta. He argued that since the government approached the company within two or three months it was elected, the impression was that "some form of compromise may have been reached before the general election". The Opposition leader said the country had to know why no one had been informed that the government was planning to privatise Enemalta. "How did he decide the stakes? On what criteria was the shareholding established? And why were no tenders or expressions of interest issued?" Busuttil said. He rejected arguments that the differences in ideology between the major political parties were fading and that similar philosophies had been adopted. "These first nine months of a Labour government have shown that there is enough of an ideological divide between the two parties," he said, adding that how the government and Opposition viewed nationality and the IIP was example enough. Marina for sailing events proposed at Ta' Xbiex JAMES DEBONO The new marina site in Marsamxett Harbour, Ta' Xbiex THE Royal Malta Yacht Club is proposing a new marina consisting of two floating 20 metre pontoons with a capacity of 72 boats. The new facility is aimed to cater for mariners competing in the club's sailing events. The site is located in Marsamxett Harbour at Ta' Xbiex point just outside the Msida Marina in the vicinity of the club premise. The pontoons will be anchored to 42 concrete blocks laid on the seabed. The Royal Malta Yacht Club is an organiser of sailing events, like the Malta Syracuse Race (which has been held every year for 50 years) and the Rolex Middle Sea Race, which attracts a fleet of some 70 boats. According to a Project Development Statement presented to MEPA, the provision of berths for these events is becoming problematic in Malta's marinas, as these are occupied by permanent berth holders. The new berths will be used also to accommodate visiting yachtsmen and club members on a temporary basis when not in use for events. The pontoons will be dismantled after the end of October and re-installed the following March.

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