Franco Debono has made his first intervention in parliament since missing a vote before Christmas. The Times stresses “the government’s decision to bring into force provisions of a 2002 law on legal aid to people under arrest” and that MP Debono is pleased with this decision.
From The Times:
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi had a meeting with Franco Debono this evening, two days after the Nationalist MP missed two votes in parliament, denying the government its majority. Dr Debono also did not attend a meeting of the PN parliamentary group on Tuesday, and could not be contacted. Party whip David Agius late on Tuesday denied claims that pressure was being put on Dr Debono to resign.
Dr Debono attended the first part of Monday’s parliamentary sitting, but was absent during two votes on amendments to a motion on the setting up of a Select Committee. The Speaker had to use his casting vote. Dr Debono later returned to the Chamber and voted with the government. The motion was approved.
This evening’s meeting was held at Dr Debono’s residence in Ghaxaq. Mrs Gonzi also attended.
Since Franco Debono was probably “asleep” at his house during a routine vote* one should therefore imagine that the PM’s courtesy visit at the Ghaxaq Residence (probably during waking hours – you know what they say about letting sleeping dogs lie) was simply to discuss a possible variation in his sleeping habits. We’d hate to imagine Franco sleeping through the whole of this legislature…
* from Running Commentary:
Franco Debono becoming ‘another’ pain in the ass?
[Daphne – No, it’s not. There was a routine vote, MPs on both sides of the house were away from Malta, and it was a ‘draw’. Franco Debono failed to turn up because he was asleep and had to be woken by people who turned up at his house for the purpose. The rest is just wishful thinking and the sort of ‘rumour as fact’ reporting we have come to expect from Maltastar. The Labour party even sent out a viral SMS yesterday, claiming that the prime minister was to call for a vote of confidence at 3pm. Yes, right.]
It’s Erskine May and Alfred-May-Not all over again in Parliament as a seemingly innocuous vote about who should head two parliamentary committees almost resulted in the government side losing two votes. It was not exactly a government crushing moment and much as the labour side try to cook up a theory of “instable government” behind it it was still bound to happen any day. Pairing matters aside it all went Pete Tong when Honourable Member Franco Debono absented himself for reasons as yet unkown (*) from the Chamber of Deputies. A Labourite MP moved an amendment to a government motion as to who should head two committees in the making and when every MP was called to do his duty the resultant vote on the opposition motion was 32 to 32. Missing were two votes on each side (for absence or pairing) plus the glaring emptiness that was Franco Debono’s vote.
