Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/519957
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 31 MAY 2015 News 9 NATIONALIST MEP David Casa was politely informed that the Nationalist Party needed an outsider to stand for secretary- general, in a move that forced him to begrudgingly give up his intention to nominate for the post. Casa, an MEP since 2004, had shown interest in the position of PN secretary-general for some time, after it was relinquished by Chris Said, who has been tasked with turning the PN's fortunes in Gozo. Casa's drive and populist ap- peal has won him respect in the party, but PN leader Simon Bu- suttil was said to prefer having a complete outsider to take over Said's crucial role. But expectations are running high for Rosette Thake, a rela- tively new and fresh face to the political scene and the PN, to take over one of the party's main roles as it heads into the lengthy and rough run-up to the next general elections. Thake runs four kindergarten schools, but she is also expected to dedicate herself full-time to her highly demanding new job. The man she replaces, Chris Said, is a former minister and seasoned politician who cut his teeth as mayor of Nadur, and who since 2013 had managed to make a drastic reduction of the party's costs and cut losses. Thake has been described as a liberal and eloquent speaker, but activists who spoke to this news- paper are unsure if she will han- dle the heavy pressure brought to bear by factional demands from within the party. During the referendum cam- paign to abolish spring hunting she expressed her support for the No campaign, against the po- sition taken by her party leader. Thake is perhaps expected to bring back the middle-class touch to the Nationalist party. Her predecessors – Chris Said, Paul Borg Olivier, Joe Saliba, Lawrence Gonzi, Austin Gatt and Louis Galea – were all elec- torally seasoned politicians, and she is the first secretary-general who comes with no political bag- gage. Busuttil has taken some hard decisions by making a radical cabinet reshuffle and bringing forward many backbenchers to shadow ministerial posts. He also appointed Brian St John, a former CEO of the Foun- dation for Medical Services, as CEO of the party, who at present is under a cloud, at the centre of a war of words over the signing of an agreement by the Founda- tion for Medical Services. On the other hand, former PN leadership hopeful Ray Bugeja, who was expected to coordinate a committee to look into the party's finances, appears to be no longer working inside the party. A court is to decide on a request to call in a €1.65 million loan taken out with Banif Bank by Cassar & Schembri (Marketing) Ltd, the op- erators of the failed supermarket chain More. The bank filed the case against defendants Cassar & Schembri (Marketing), Ryan and Angie Schembri, Etienne and Natalie Carmen Cassar, Mario and Alfreda Schembri, and Food World Ltd. Other associated companies were called in to respond to the claim, namely M&R Construction, Isaac Enterprises, and the individual More Supermarket companies. Businessman Ryan Schembri, 37, fled the island in September 2014 after amassing millions in debts to suppliers and other creditors. At least €5 million in debts were quantifiable in terms of claims filed in the courts and other no- tarial records. A Sri Lankan firm with a Mal- tese business address also called on Schembri's firm to honour a €560,000 loan. In June 2012, Schembri and his wife purchased a villa in Mellie- ha's lavish Santa Marija estate for an impressive €535,000, but in 16 months' time he would be chased for millions in debts he amassed for his expanding food business. In June 2014, Cassar & Schembri Marketing, together with the More Supermarkets franchise, were reg- istered as debtors of entrepreneur Edmond Mugliett for €2 million in capital. Schembri, his firm and the More chain also borrowed €1.5 million from businessman Alexander Far- rugia. After borrowing as much as €930,000 from HSBC Malta, Schembri and his firm changed banking facilities to Banif Bank. In 2011, Banif forwarded Cassar & Schembri Marketing €1 million to refinance current facilities held with HSBC Malta, and to refinance their investment and capital ex- penditure at the Palm City Super- market outside Tripoli, Libya. Banif also accorded a €627,000 overdraft to Cassar & Schembri, and another €700,000 loan for Schembri's firm Interaa Holdings Ltd, to be utilised for the business's working capital requirements in connection with its Libya opera- tions. The conflict in Libya made it im- possible for Schembri to turn his Palm City supermarket operation into a viable business, despite it having been a link for his food im- port business to the North African country. Schembri was said to have hit it big with the importation of meat products from Brazil, which gen- erated generous profit margins. His ambition for a larger opera- tion, requiring large loans to keep up with larger consignments of meat imports, hit hard times some time during 2014. Schembri's other business part- ner in the firm is Etienne Cassar, who also is a co-shareholder with Schembri in Food World Ltd. Banif call in More Supermarket's €1.65 million loan Casa irked at being told not to contest secretary-general post Rosette Thake is said to be a liberal and eloquent speaker David Casa, told not to nominate for secretary-general post On the run – Ryan Schembri