A rift between the Gżira mayor and a Labour Party councillor continued to grow during a council meeting last week when the two exchanged harsh words, expressing mutual mistrust.

Conrad Borg Manché and councillor Alexander Calleja Zammit, both elected on the Labour Party ticket, bickered about the latter’s claims that the mayor was ignoring questions about the council’s work.

The showdown followed a judicial protest filed by Calleja Zammit against Borg Manché in which he accused the mayor of breaking the law by failing to answer his questions.

In the protest, Calleja Zammit had raised questions about the purchase of camera equipment, the council’s plans for the elderly residents of Gżira and the mayor’s role as editor of a new council magazine.

During the council meeting on Tuesday, the mayor, clearly displeased by the media attention, told the councillor that the replies to some of his questions had been given in previous meetings when he was not present.

He stressed that minutes were taken during council meetings for a reason and that councillors were expected to read them.

Calleja Zammit noted that he was satisfied with the replies he had been given regarding his questions on the cameras purchased by the council.

“Go tell that to The Times,” the mayor retorted angrily, with the councillor replying that he had not gone to the media.

We are not here to play games. Decisions are not taken lightly- Conrad Borg Manché

Addressing the councillor’s questions about the magazine, Borg Manché said the decision had been taken at council level and there was no point in asking questions, making allegations and sending e-mails on a decision that had already been taken.

“We are not here to play games. Decisions are not taken lightly, and decisions are final,” the mayor said.

The mayor pointed out that the decision to print the publication at the cheapest bidder as well as who was to be responsible for the magazine project had been taken during a council meeting by those present.

“I’m not using the magazine for self-gratification,” Borg Manché emphasised, rebutting the councillor’s claims.

During the meeting, the mayor also chided Calleja Zammit for failing to follow procedure with regards to a call for quotations for an upcoming event and asked the acting executive secretary to reissue the call and post it on Facebook for greater transparency.

Borg Manché insisted that he did not trust the councillor any longer, with the councillor saying the feeling was mutual.