The GSD has said that, if the Chief Minister wants to cooperate on mental health issues and “send a positive signal” in this important area that opportunity is there for him to take up. However, the party says that, rather than deal with the real issue of whether he will support the proposal for a Mental Health Select Committee the Chief Minister has so far “tried to distract” from that issue by “wrongly complaining” about lack of consultation and “going on a rant” about what he says happened in 2016 when Mr Azopardi was neither in Parliament nor in politics.

Leader of the Opposition Keith Azopardi said: “As Parliamentarians, the Opposition has decided to work together on mental health and asked the Government to also do so, in the hope that at this difficult time we would send a message to the entire community that this issue transcended party politics. Our incentive has been one of good faith and in doing so we were hoping that the Chief Minister and his Government would join us in this and not respond with defensiveness as this completely goes against what we are trying to achieve. We hope he will reconsider and work collectively in Parliament to deliver the best possible outcome within mental health services in the future.”

A statement continued: “The reality is that he was consulted on the Motion and several months later was reminded. He has had a full 12 months to respond and consider his position. To turn the issue into blaming Mr Azopardi for not chasing him repeatedly because he had not responded positively to the proposal or the reminder is a complete red herring. The Chief Minister needs to concentrate on the issue in hand which is about whether he wishes to support the establishment of a Select Committee on Mental Health. There is still time for him to do so when the Motion is taken in Parliament. He should consider that issue and not indulge in side-shows. The subject of mental health affects too many people and the quality of life of too many families for that.”