Editorial

Changes in the leadership of the country and of the ruling party culminated last week with the appointment of Dr Lawrence Gonzi as prime minister, succeeding Dr Eddie Fenech Adami, and the formation of a new government.

The changes will be concluded next Sunday with the swearing-in of the new President of the Republic, succeeding Professor Guido de Marco, for which post the government has nominated Dr Fenech Adami.

The Labour Opposition said it would vote against the government's nominee (as it had done in the case of all other Nationalist government nominees to the Presidency) but since the government has a five-seat majority in the House of Representatives, which elects the President, Dr Fenech Adami will - bar some unforeseen development - be sworn in as this country's seventh President.

The MLP said it had suggested three persons for the Presidency whom it considered could contribute to national unity, but Government had insisted on Dr Fenech Adami's nomination. There is obviously a strong case for selecting a person who is widely perceived as being above party politics for the largely ceremonial but highly symbolic post of President, who is meant to be a unifying force in the country. Such a person would be ideal.

However, it must also be stated that all the former leading politicians - Labour or Nationalist - who have so far filled this exalted position have scrupulously kept above the political fray to such an extent that they have ended up by eventually earning plaudits from the Opposition. It is fair to presume that things will not turn out to be different in Dr Fenech Adami's case, although this would be the first time that a former party leader and prime minister was elected President.

But, back to the Cabinet changes. All the ministers appointed less than a year ago by Dr Fenech Adami have been retained (except for Foreign Minister Joe Borg, who will become European Commissioner as of May 1) but many of them have been given new or additional responsibilities.

What is unusual is Dr Gonzi's decision to retain the Finance portfolio for himself and his appointment of all three women MPs on the government side to the front bench. Giovanna Debono has been retained as Gozo Minister, Dolores Cristina has been promoted from parliamentary secretary to Minister for the Family and Social Solidarity, and Helen D'Amato has been appointed PS for the elderly and community care. This is a strong signal that the new PM firmly believes that women should be entrusted with important decision-making responsibilities.

One presumes that Dr Gonzi's retention of the finance ministry, in addition to his vast responsibilities as prime minister, will be a temporary measure. "Strengthening the country's financial situation" - the second in a list of ten priorities which Dr Gonzi has set for the government - surely requires the undivided attention of a member of the government with ministerial rank.

Having served ten years as finance minister - not exactly the best way to endear oneself to the electorate or to win any popularity contest - John Dalli was known to be most reluctant to fill that post again. He can look back on a number of achievements, including vastly improved revenue collection, but his long-term aim of reducing the budget deficit to within the Maastricht criterion of 3 per cent of GDP has proved elusive, mostly for reasons outside his control.

Mr Dalli's appointment as foreign minister, coupled with his responsibilities for trade and investment promotion, should see a greater emphasis on these two aspects in Malta's relations with foreign countries. Significantly, Mr Dalli has also been made responsible for Malta Enterprise. One would therefore expect an intensification of the drive to attract foreign direct investment.

On the eve of Malta's joining the European Union, and given his high expertise in this area, Michael Frendo's appointment as parliamentary secretary in this ministry would reflect the intensification of relations with the EU at all levels.

Dr Gonzi indicated the thrust he intended to give his administration by appointing four Cabinet committees, chaired respectively by Deputy PM Tonio Borg, Education Minister Louis Galea, Mr Dalli and Information Technology Minister Austin Gatt, to deal with the environment, social policy, competitiveness and national projects. On Tuesday he explained that the aim was to ensure that the ministries function in a better, more co-ordinated way, and that "other entities" (including the Opposition, presumably) would be asked to make their contributions for this purpose.

Undoubtedly, the need for greater co-ordination has long been felt, and the committees - if accepted in good faith by all concerned - should help to ensure this. A co-ordinated government, after all, features as one of Dr Gonzi's priorities.