Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/844299
Newspaper post SUNDAY • 2 JULY 2017 • ISSUE 921 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY SUNDAY • 2 JULY 2017 • ISSUE 921 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY maltatoday SAVIOUR BALZAN FINANCE minister Edward Sci- cluna has sent a clear message to party delegates that Prime Minis- ter Joseph Muscat prefers him for deputy leader for parliamentary affairs, after a naïve admission on TVM that he had been asked to stand by Muscat himself. Scicluna let the cat out of the bag when he said Muscat had "made it clear on several occasions" that he wanted him by his side as a "pair of safe hands". Helena Dalli, who yesterday launched her own deputy leader- ship bid (page 5) echoed Sci- cluna's claims, but said she had been "encouraged" to stand. Unlike Dalli or even the other contender, health minister Chris Fearne, Scicluna lacks a strong grass- roots network but his high profile as fi- nance minis- ter has earned him the respect of the electorate. But government sources said Muscat sees in Scicluna, 70, a substitute for the veteran Louis Grech, who will still be kept on as consult- ant at the Office of the Prime Minis- ter. Scicluna was still elected on two dis- tricts de- spite not campaigning hard at constituency level. "For Muscat, Scicluna as deputy leader for parliamentary affairs would strike the right balance to Chris Cardona's fiery and impetuous image," the source said of the PL's deputy leader for party affairs. Like Scicluna, Helena Dalli yes- terday also made it a point to state she offered no competition to Muscat or any other potential leadership candidate who could take Labour to the next elections in 2022, after Muscat declared this was his last electoral cam- paign as prime minister. YOUR FIRST READ AND FIRST CLICK OF THE DAY WWW.MALTATODAY.COM.MT SUNDAY • 2 JULY 2017 • ISSUE 921 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY today today • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY today • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY MATTHEW VELLA A protective measure to safeguard one of Air Malta's most precious assets is in the offing. The first signs of a new approach to turn around the beleaguered air- line under tourism minister Konrad Mizzi appear to be a plan to hive off Air Malta's landing rights into a new company. Landing rights in airports that are already at over-capacity, such as Lon- don Heathrow, are crucial gains for airlines seeking slots for profitable routes. "We're not yet at the stage where we are seeking a strategic partner," said a government source. "The plan is to get the company on its feet instead of just selling off a minority stake," the source said, highlighting a difference in strategy between that em- ployed by Mizzi's predecessor, Edward Zammit Lewis. SUMMER PLANS AND FASHION In this issue of VIDA, free with MaltaToday Scicluna 'Muscat's chosen' for deputy leadership DALLI LAUNCHES BID Progressive torchbearer from the old guard vies to be first woman deputy PM 5 Air Malta plan to hive off €70m landing slots SAVIOUR BALZAN THE Nationalist MP widely expected to be the third man to run for PN leader, Claudio Grech, is still biding his time before throw- ing his hat into the ring. Speculation inside the PN is over whether Grech's mulling could dent his chances in the wake of outsider Adrian Delia's bid for the top post, the first to make his candida- ture known. One senior MP who spoke to MaltaToday said Grech, a former chief of staff to Austin Gatt, enjoyed the support of various Nation- alist MPs. "Many of the re-elected and new MPs are waiting for Grech to announce his bid," the MP said. "But Delia's bid has also attracted support from a particular strand in the party." Delia, a lawyer and businessman who is al- so president of Birkirkara F.C., is said to en- joy the support of Nationalist MPs Clyde Pu- li and Kristy Debono – who could possibly be vying for the deputy leadership posts – as well as Debono's husband MP Jean-Pierre Debono and reportedly, Pierre Portelli, the Malta Independent's director of content who has not ruled out considering the secretary- general's post. Delia is bound to be taken to task over his business interests, with the veteran Media. Link journalist Dione Borg having suggested that all candidates be vetted before facing the 1,200 councillors of the PN – a proposal welcomed by Chris Said and Adrian Delia. "That is a clear dig at Delia," said another Nationalist MP who spoke on condition of anonymity. "And you will see the cam- paign building up on social media when some voices start saying Delia was defence counsel for Charles Attard 'iz-Zambi', who pled guilty to having participated in the at- tempted murder of [Fenech Adami's chief of staff ] Richard Cachia Caruana." [Attard later recanted his guilty plea while in pris- on]. If Delia does get elected by the PN's 23,000 paid-up members, his co-option to the par- liament will mean an MP must resign. "If somebody elected by first-count votes re- signs, the party will have to stop other can- didates from contesting the casual election. In all likelihood, someone who got elected in the casual elections could make way for Delia," the MP said. On the other hand, Gozo MP Chris Said is making inroads with PN councillors but still does not have the backing of staff mem- bers at PN headquarters. "As secretary- general his reform programme in 2014, and perception that he was undermining Simon Busuttil, could hurt his chances with cer- tain electors." Claudio Grech is still meeting councillors in a hush-hush strategy aimed at getting a feel of the mood before taking the plunge for the 13 September election. "He knows the campaign is long and that he need not decide until the very end. He is not rushing into any decision," the MP said. Other rumoured bids could come from PN treasurer Alex Perici Calascione, and CEO of the 6PM software group Ivan Bartolo, both of whom are not MPs. Grech bides his time 16 17 BROTHERS WITH SOME BEEF Why New York Best's siblings want out of the island 3 Wanted: Strong lobby for domestic violence victims 23 JOSANNE CASSAR July 2017- Issue 91 www.vida.com.mt A LIFE IMMERSED IN ART Interview with Rita Saliba FESTIVAL FEVER 7 hot summer festivals €1.75