Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/872981
SIMON Busuttil did not take kindly to comments by leadership hopeful Adrian Delia, who today accused the outgoing PN leader of being "busy campaigning with Chris Said". It all began with photos uploaded on Facebook by the other leadership candidate, Chris Said, who shared with social media followers his visit to the Mellieha feast. It so happened that Busuttil at- tended the same feast and he was captured in three photos: two in which the PN leader was standing outside the church and a third in which he, along with Said and PN MP Robert Cutajar – who hails from Mellieha – are pictured with the committee of the Societa Filar- monica La Vittoria. Fast-forward to today's press con- ference and Delia was asked by re- porters whether he had been invit- ed to meet Busuttil, or the party's executive, since the first round of elections – it's been a turbulent few weeks with Delia accusing "a clique" of trying to hijack his elec- tion bid. "In the first two weeks Simon Bu- suttil invited the four candidates to ascertain that we maintain a friendly leadership race. He told us we would meet every week. We met twice and never again. I understand that Busuttil is busy campaigning with PN leadership contender Chris Said," Delia replied, as quoted by the Malta Independent. His comment was not ig- nored. WWW.MALTATODAY.COM.MT WEDNESDAY EDITION €1.00 Newspaper post PAGE 9 • Editorial WEDNESDAY • 13 SEPTEMBER 2017 • ISSUE 554 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY PN LEADERSHIP ELECTION: With three days to go, contenders make final pitch for members' support JAMES DEBONO A CONTROVERSIAL 3,500 sq.m fuel station and retail outlet near an intersection on the Alla w Ommu road, is back on the Planning Au- thority's agenda after an appeals tribunal revoked the PA board's decision in March 2016 to refuse the project. The application is for a fuel station, car wash, and retail outlet on a triangu- lar-shaped land near Triq l- Arznu where the main road exits onto Maghtab. The proponent is Abel Energy Limited, which is owned by the Malta Medi- terranean Hub plc that now runs the former shipbuild- ing docks in Marsa. The development is being opposed by both residents and environmental NGOs, being proposed in a rural hamlet located outside de- velopment zones where de- velopment has to respect the area's rural characteristics. But the tribunal – called the environmental and plan- ning review tribunal (EPRT) – concluded that the PA board did not give sufficient reasons for overturning the recommendation from Plan- ning Directorate to approve the project. PAGE 3 4 & 5 2 3,500 square metre fuel station is placed back on PA's agenda after appeals tribunal says no specific reason was given for refusal back in March 2016 In WhatsApp chat with MPs, Busuttil lambasts Delia 'who aspires to replace me'