Interrogating unity through literature at the 49th UMPIL National Writers Congress tribune.net.ph - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from tribune.net.ph Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The National Book Council has convened the National Writers’ Congress as part of its legal mandate to consult with authors on the policies of the National Book Council.
It was not clear precisely why the Education Minister, Justyne Caruana, called for the resignation of Mark Camilleri as executive chairman of the National Book Council.
To lay out the facts, the call followed a public exchange on social media that Camilleri had with a lawyer of Yorgen Fenech, who stands charged with complicity in the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia.
The day before, Camilleri had tweeted that the public inquiry into state responsibility over the assassination ought to carry on if the government has nothing to hide. According to Camilleri’s account, the lawyer messaged him to “supposedly teach me” why the inquiry should be shut down. Camilleri did not take kindly to the attempt and told the lawyer where to get off, using some colourful language in Maltese.
Updated 12.45pm, adds Graffitti statement
National Book Chairman Mark Camilleri has apologised for his foul language on social media and has had his calls to resign removed after a conversation with the education minister, he said.
Camilleri had resisted the ministry s request for him to resign over a row with Juliette Galea, a lawyer for the businessman accused of conspiring to murder journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.
Galea had messaged him a link to an article about Yorgen Fenech s request for the public inquiry into the murder to be shut down. After a brief exchange in which she described him as stupid , he told her to kiss my glorious brown, Marxist ass.
Outspoken Malta Book Council chairman Mark Camilleri has been asked to resign by the Education Ministry after uploading a tense exchange with one of murder suspect Yorgen Fenech’s lawyers.
Permanent Secretary Frank Fabri emailed Camilleri on Wednesday evening, telling Camilleri he expects him step down from his position with immediate effect.
“In light of what you published in the public domain and what has been reported in the media and what is certainly not exemplary to the public and educational sector, I am asking you to consider you position in the National Book Council and resign your post out of your own free will,” Fabri wrote.