Ivan Bartolo resigns from PN business development role over lack of initiative
Former Nationalist Party candidate and businessman Ivan Bartolo, who led the Nationalist business development plan, has left the party and quit politics, he has said in a Facebook post.
The former PN candidate, who contested the last general election but was not elected, was appointed by party leader Adrian Delia in November to carry out a business development plan within the PN to help sustain it.
In his post, Bartolo said that, “after lots of consideration, thinking and contemplating, I concluded that politics is not a journey I want to pursue.”
Sources within the party told this newspaper that the reason behind Bartolo’s departure was the lack of initiative on the part of top officials to implement Bartolo’s business development plans. Sources said that after several unsuccessful attempts to get party officials to listen to his strategy and start the ball rolling on the project, Bartolo decided to throw in the towel.
PN deputy leader for party affairs Robert Arrigo posted a comment under Bartolo’s status, saying: “Great friend and gentleman. Good luck on your new ventures, and I am sure that our paths are going to meet.”
Former PN leadership contender Alex Perici Calascione
also commented on Bartolo’s message, saying: “Allow me to publicly thank you for your very valid and refreshingly frank and honest contribution to public life. You made the move into politics solely to be in a position to contribute and never with any thought of personal gain. I, as others like me, have been fortunate enough to see you work first-hand and admire your professional and inter-personal skills; your logical thought and the convincing way you present any argument. Most importantly and above all, you placed integrity as a fundamental requisite in public service. Your departure is certainly a loss. I sincerely wish you well.”
Interviewed by The Malta Independent on Sunday last November after his appointment as PN business director, Bartolo had said that “the PN has a real chance to commercialise and show the business community in Malta that we mean business, by being creative.”
Bartolo was placed in charge of restructuring the party’s assets, rebranding and the positioning of the party, since according to Bartolo, “an updated party is more likely to attract different and new audiences.”
In the same interview, Bartolo had shared his ideas, such as renting out PN property, providing services for young children with working parents, and the changes needed in the party’s membership scheme. He had spoken of the importance of drawing back the business community by inspiring them through creative ideas.
Bartolo’s full Facebook message states: “Posting this short message out of courtesy for the people that supported me since I offered my services to politics in Malta. After lots of considerations, thinking and contemplating, I concluded that politics is not a journey I want to pursue. There are several reasons but that is no longer important. This page will be deleted in 14 days from now and this is why I felt the obligation to inform those people who supported me. Thank you. It was truly an eye opening experience.”
This newsroom contacted and sent a number of questions in relation to Bartolo’s resignation to the PN, but answers were not forthcoming at the time of going to print.