‘It’s like the 80s all over again’: ousted Għargħur mayor speaks out

Updated 6pm with PN statement

PN councillor Helen Gauci, who was ousted as Għargħur mayor, described a no-confidence vote against her as a “political manoeuvre” reminiscent of the 1980s.

“The people were clear on who they wanted to be mayor and which party they wanted in charge. But the people’s will was not respected,” Gauci said.

Gauci lost a confidence vote on Wednesday evening after a PN councillor resigned from the party.

Attard’s resignation meant the Nationalist Party, which won a 62 per cent majority in last June’s elections, no longer had a majority in the five-seat council.

“It was a political conspiracy manoeuvre reminiscent of the 80s,” Gauci said when contacted for comment.

The 1980s are considered among Malta’s most turbulent political periods that saw great tension and, at times, violence between the governing Labour Party’s supporters and the PN faithful.

Much of that tension stemmed from the 1981 general election, where the Nationalist Party saw electoral victory snatched away when it received an absolute majority of votes but a minority of parliamentary seats.

The vote on Wednesday evening was taken during a stormy meeting of the council, characterised by shouting between Gauci and PL councillor Mariah Meli, who is expected to take over as mayor.

Attard, who has stayed in the council as an independent, had said she wanted to work free of political party pressure.

She later signed a no-confidence motion in Gauci’s mayorship.

The motion says Gauci has demonstrated a lack of transparent and effective leadership and so should no longer remain mayor.

It also points to "a lack of updated financial reports, where the figures of the council’s financial statements, which concern public funds, are not being completed in the time stipulated by law."

But on Thursday, Gauci said the signatories were unable to back what they claimed in the motion.

She said a backlog in financial reports could be explained because the accountant who was engaged by the council had died suddenly, and the council needed to engage another accountant.

“Something like that takes time,” Gauci said.

The former mayor said she was upset not for herself but on behalf of the people of Għargħur, “who are angry about their will being ignored”.

“I have peace in my heart because I always did things in the right way,” Gauci said, adding that an “enormous” number of people from PN but also PL circles had expressed their solidarity.

Asked about her future plans, Gauci said: “I will remain as councillor, and work for the good of Għargħur, then we will see".

New election

The Nationalist Party on Thursday called for a new election in Għargħur to give residents "the opportunity to express their will once again."

Speaking at a press conference, PN secretary general Charles Bonello called out the "blatant attack on democracy that took place in Għargħur" pointing the finger at Labour Party officials.

"This places full responsibility for what occurred squarely on the shoulders of Labour Party leader Robert Abela," Bonello said

He accused the parliamentary secretary for local government Alison Zerafa Civelli of drawing "false comparisons" between what happened in Għargħur and the outcomes of local council elections in Floriana and Żebbuġ where neither the Labour Party nor the PN had obtained an absolute majority of votes.

"It is common knowledge that a majority of 62 per cent in a Council leaves no room for interpretation, and it can never justify a party with less than 38 per cent of the vote attempting to take control," Bonello said.

Gauci, who was also present at the press conference, said that on Mariah Meli's first day as unelected mayor, the local council "remained shut" because "Labour councillors continue to oppose the hiring of urgently needed staff over the past week."

She reiterated that if there are allegations against her, she is still waiting for them to be substantiated.