The Malta Independent
If the first two decisions taken by the new Prime Minister are an indication of things to come, then the prospect of seeing a breadth of fresh air on the local political scene is still born.
The new cabinet shows that Dr Gonzi chose a minimalist approach with the only novel feature being the Prime Minister`s direct responsibility for the Budget/Finance portfolio. If this is meant to reflect the determination to disperse the budget discipline across all ministries so that restoration of sanity to public finance becomes a priority for the whole cabinet, then it is a good sign. But the minimal changes in the allocation of portfolios in other Ministries denies the fresh perceptions, free from inbuilt personal prejudices about `the way we do things around here`, that are needed if budget priority is to be given practical effect at ground zero.
One could generously give Dr Gonzi the benefit of the doubt and interpret his decision in the context of planning to root his authority over the executive before going for deeper changes. Consequently one may optimistically hope that this week`s cabinet composition and portfolio allocation is just a stage in a longer journey of changes which will deliver more and better on the way.
The same generosity is not possible in interpreting Dr Gonzi`s second decision of nominating Dr Fenech Adami to be the next President of the Republic when Prof Demarco steps down next week.
The role of the President, whilst having very limited executive authority, carries high moral responsibilities. The person occupying such role should be perceived as a unifying force capable of using moral suasion to lift national issues above the political battleground` and capable of brokering national consensus through his knowledge, experience, charisma and general acceptability.
The government, having total control over the executive and over parliament, and in the context of needing co-operation from a broad spectrum of society, including the left of the political scene, for the formulation and execution of the social pact for economic re-structuring, should have made a gesture in giving the Opposition a fair influence over the choice of the President.` This would at least have reciprocated Labour government`s gesture when in the 1996-1998 legislation they kept PN nominated Ugo Mifsud Bonnici as President.
The PN had greatly benefited from such Labour`s indulgence when in 1998 President Mifsud Bonnici did not have the credentials to broker a peace deal between Mintoff and Sant and made little visible effort to preserve the electoral mandate which Labour had won in 1996. I am positive that a Labour chosen President would have shown more energy in using the stature of his Office to avoid an early election.
However the new PN government Gonzi style, in deciding about the next President, not only has not considered it appropriate to make such a worthwhile opening to Labour in the national interest of achieving a consensus on the so much aspired social pact, but added insult to injury when presenting Labour with a choice between Fenech Adami or Fenech Adami as the next President. If this one name suggestion take it or leave attitude is Dr Gonzi`s definition of what true consultation with the opposition should be, then prospect of up-grading the quality of local politics is zilch.
An outgoing Prime Minister 17 years in office can never within a short space of a couple of weeks have the credentials of being perceived by the opposition as a unifying force fitting the role of President. Much less fitting for the Presidential post is a person who sought an electoral mandate as a Prime Minister and gave up such 5 year mandate before the first year is out forcing on us a situation where we have a Prime Minister chosen by the Party rather than by the people.
Frankly the perception is just one of political musical chairs where change is a mere perception but the dynamics are still working for preservation of the status quo.
If the first two decisions taken by the new Prime Minister are an indication of things to come, then the prospect of seeing a breadth of fresh air on the local political scene is still born. The new cabinet shows that Dr Gonzi chose a minimalist approach with the only novel feature being the Prime Minister`s direct responsibility for the Budget/Finance portfolio. If this is meant to reflect the determination to disperse the budget discipline across all ministries so that restoration of sanity to public finance becomes a priority for the whole cabinet, then it is a good sign. But the minimal changes in the allocation of portfolios in other Ministries denies the fresh perceptions, free from inbuilt personal prejudices about `the way we do things around here`, that are needed if budget priority is to be given practical effect at ground zero.
One could generously give Dr Gonzi the benefit of the doubt and interpret his decision in the context of planning to root his authority over the executive before going for deeper changes. Consequently one may optimistically hope that this week`s cabinet composition and portfolio allocation is just a stage in a longer journey of changes which will deliver more and better on the way.
The same generosity is not possible in interpreting Dr Gonzi`s second decision of nominating Dr Fenech Adami to be the next President of the Republic when Prof Demarco steps down next week.
The role of the President, whilst having very limited executive authority, carries high moral responsibilities. The person occupying such role should be perceived as a unifying force capable of using moral suasion to lift national issues above the political battleground` and capable of brokering national consensus through his knowledge, experience, charisma and general acceptability.
The government, having total control over the executive and over parliament, and in the context of needing co-operation from a broad spectrum of society, including the left of the political scene, for the formulation and execution of the social pact for economic re-structuring, should have made a gesture in giving the Opposition a fair influence over the choice of the President.` This would at least have reciprocated Labour government`s gesture when in the 1996-1998 legislation they kept PN nominated Ugo Mifsud Bonnici as President.
The PN had greatly benefited from such Labour`s indulgence when in 1998 President Mifsud Bonnici did not have the credentials to broker a peace deal between Mintoff and Sant and made little visible effort to preserve the electoral mandate which Labour had won in 1996. I am positive that a Labour chosen President would have shown more energy in using the stature of his Office to avoid an early election.
However the new PN government Gonzi style, in deciding about the next President, not only has not considered it appropriate to make such a worthwhile opening to Labour in the national interest of achieving a consensus on the so much aspired social pact, but added insult to injury when presenting Labour with a choice between Fenech Adami or Fenech Adami as the next President. If this one name suggestion take it or leave attitude is Dr Gonzi`s definition of what true consultation with the opposition should be, then prospect of up-grading the quality of local politics is zilch.
An outgoing Prime Minister 17 years in office can never within a short space of a couple of weeks have the credentials of being perceived by the opposition as a unifying force fitting the role of President. Much less fitting for the Presidential post is a person who sought an electoral mandate as a Prime Minister and gave up such 5 year mandate before the first year is out forcing on us a situation where we have a Prime Minister chosen by the Party rather than by the people.
Frankly the perception is just one of political musical chairs where change is a mere perception but the dynamics are still working for preservation of the status quo.
No comments:
Post a Comment