Gonzi stakes claim to PN leadership

Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi insisted yesterday he would not tamper with his party's electoral manifesto as he cast his nomination to contest the post of Nationalist Party leader.

Dr Gonzi urged his party's councillors to take into consideration public opinion when voting - especially since they would not just be voting for a leader, but also for the eventual prime minister who has to reflect the aspirations and wishes of the electorate.

The 50-year-old lawyer was speaking during an informal question and answer session with journalists at the Radisson SAS Bay Point, just before casting the third and final nomination for the post to be vacated by Eddie Fenech Adami.

In the meantime, Finance Minister John Dalli and Education Minister Louis Galea continued with their campaign yesterday.

Dr Gonzi said 275 members, three-quarters of whom were party councillors, and 13.5 per cent party executives, endorsed his nomination.

A total of 20 MPs, including ministers George Pullicino, Austin Gatt, Louis Deguara, and Tonio Borg, were among those who signed Dr Gonzi's nomination.

The deputy prime minister defended his track record and shot down suggestions that he was indecisive.

"I have taken decisions when I had to take them, the way I had to take them. The most important thing is to take the right decision.

"I have taken difficult decisions while Speaker of the House. Likewise, I took tough decisions to curb abuse at a social policy level," he reminded journalists.

Dr Gonzi said that no individual could win elections by bulldozing his way through in a dictatorial style.

"Eddie Fenech Adami was successful because he managed to perfectly steer a team of experts around him. A good leader is one that manages to lead a good team - and not one who decides alone."

Less than a year after the PN victory at the polls, the new prime minister should not present a new electoral programme, but should ensure the existing one is carried out, Dr Gonzi emphasised.

Dr Gonzi stressed the importance he would give to sectors like education and training, job creation, the environment and especially social dialogue.

It was essential to iron out bureaucracy and to ensure that the deficit is curbed to pave the way for the introduction of the euro.

He said the party councillors should weigh a number of factors before deciding whom to vote for, such as their track record, style and character.

Comments that drew parallels with his style to that of Dr Fenech Adami's were "compliments", Dr Gonzi said.

The fact that he has been deputy prime minister for the past five years and presided over Cabinet meetings a number of times has given him the necessary experience, he noted.

Dr Gonzi denied that the run-up to the general conference on February 28 risked splitting the party. His election as deputy leader in 1999 had served only to unite the party further, he said.

He said that one of the biggest challenges would be to win the general election in four years' time.

Dr Gonzi denied that his nomination was being given special pre-ference by the PN administration, as was evidenced by the fact that the party had drawn up a series of guidelines to ensure nobody was put at an advantage.

He endorsed the party executive's decision to avoid pitting the three contestants against each other in a US election-style debate.

He laughed off the stories spawned by the Labour media on his leadership ambitions, describing them as a hotchpotch of fictitious tales.

Pointing out that a Cabinet reshuffle was inevitable once a new prime minister is sworn in, Dr Gonzi said he would definitely be prepared to serve a Cabinet under the leadership of either Mr Dalli or Dr Galea.

Asked what changes he would like to see in Parliament, Dr Gonzi said that though it was obvious that politics breeds a certain element of confrontation, the time was ripe for change.

Governments needed to realise that the Opposition can actually make a contribution to improve certain policies, while Oppositions have to understand that not all that Governments propose is wrong.

Ultimately it takes two to tango, he said.