I am still recovering from the heavy beating my party took in the last round of local elections. It is by far the Nationalist Party's worst result on a local level.

But what was even more shocking was the simplistic way in which the result was interpreted by some party officials. This is not the time to beat about the bush.

It is clear to me that the party's general secretary, Joe Saliba, must shoulder the responsibility for this result. If no one else is able to say it, then I will. Mr Saliba, it is time to go. Your time is up. You have led this party into consecutive electoral defeats and your "denial" of this is turning members and long-term supporters away from the PN. Your style and attitude is not what PN supporters expect of a general secretary.

We listen to endless sermons about accountability, being upright, standing by our statements but the PN's general secretary appears unwilling to do what is right and step down.

We looked forward to fathoming his explanation of a "strategy"; no such strategy existed. And we have had to witness the Prime Minister standing by him and refusing to expound on this "strategy" when he should have asked Mr Saliba to be man enough and assume the responsibility expected of someone holding such political office.

Even with Marsa and Zejtun out of the picture, the PN suffered a crushing defeat. All explanations of why the PN supporters remained at home are irrelevant. The relevant bit is that they did not vote for the PN.

Now, in an apparent attempt to divert public and media attention, Mr Saliba has directed his party to discuss electoral reform. Which, by the way, was not a priority at any think tank set up by the party, but, never mind, the PN of today does not need elected bodies to decide and to set policy. Instead it unilaterally appoints individuals and asks them to find out why last June's (Euro elections) performance was such a fiasco. But what the report concluded only God knows!

I am not a dissenter, I am a Nationalist and as a Nationalist I know that the PN will lose the next election and the Labour Party will win unless drastic action is taken.

The Prime Minister shoots down any suggestion that the party is being arrogant. But that is what the party is - arrogant, cut off from reality and distanced from the prevailing atmosphere.

One can argue that the party is suffering electoral fatigue but this is just an excuse. Why aren't the Labourites suffering the same with the likes of Alfred Sant?

As things stand today, many of my colleagues have lost their voice. They shout out in silence for someone to step forward and challenge the "strategy" that is ruining the party.

This party is not meant to cater for the interests of any individual but for a collective political vision that is piloted by people who enjoy confidence and support.

Mr Saliba has led this party to its worst defeats. Now his electoral reform bravado will seal the end of the PN with an attempt to open up for smaller parties. Unknown to most but very well known to him, it will lead to the demise of the PN as we know it.

Here is a party that is losing on all fronts: fewer newspaper readers, fewer PN-dominated councils, fewer television viewers for NET and fewer party members.

Stalwarts and party faithful have deserted in droves; back benchers with so much to offer have been completely ignored.

Worst of all, the people who matter, the brains within the party, are being side-lined and dumped.

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi must come to terms with this reality. He must take stock and act. He must unite the party and he must make it clear that the party needs a new soul at its core, not the present one which promotes policies that serve no purpose to the party as a whole.

Mr Zammit is a member of the PN's executive committee and a former mayor of Marsa.