Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri fared much better than former tourism minister Clayton Bartolo did in the parliamentary committee hearing on the Standards Committee report about a €70,000 consultancy job that Bartolo’s wife, Amanda Muscat, was given at the Gozo ministry.

The Labour Party representatives agreed with action to be taken against Bartolo, who was dismissed from the Party in relation to a different scandal that has come to light in which she is suspected of receiving €50,000 in kickbacks from a deal with former cyclist Valerio Angoli.

Yet Justice Minister Jonathan Attard and MP Andy Ellul defended Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri, saying he “humbly” accepted the conclusions of the Standard Commissioner’s report.

At the parliamentary committee, the PN presented a motion based on four recommendations: A full refund of the money Amanda Muscat received for a job she was not qualified for and did not do, that both ministers apologise in parliament, that they would both be suspended from the House for 30 days, and that Prime Minister Robert Abela demand the resignation of Clint Camilleri.

The two parties did not agree on the amount to be refunded, with the PN insisting it should be the full amount Muscat received when appointed consultant. “She did not do the job for which she was paid, and the Standards Commissioner report confirms this,” the PN representatives, Ryan Callus and Mark Anthony Sammut, insisted.

“We have two cases, two ministers. Clayton Bartolo acknowledged he fell short. Clint did not acknowledge any mistake. There is no apology,” Sammut said.

The government members on the committee said the PN was trying to grasp at straws even when an agreement had been reached to adopt the Standards Commissioner’s report, adding that the PN was after “a witch hunt”.

Justice Minister Attard said the Opposition was acting to drum up support for a protest being organised next week, and to score political points.

On the points in the motion presented by the PN, the Speaker agreed that Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri should be admonished but, together with government representatives, dismissed the need for an apology in parliament.

The Speaker also agreed with the government representatives on the committee against the proposed suspension of 30 days for both MPs.

The Speaker agreed that Clayton Bartolo must apologise to parliament for the scandal involving his wife.