Anthony Zammit steps into Karl Chircop's shoes

Surgeon Anthony Zammit will become the Labour Party's main spokesman for health following the death of Karl Chircop last month, MLP leader Joseph Muscat announced yesterday.

Relatively unknown in the political field, Dr Zammit had skyrocketed to fame after operating on former MLP leader Alfred Sant last December. Mr Zammit gave regular bulletins about Dr Sant's health while the latter was in hospital being treated for colon cancer.

Just a month later, Mr Zammit received a standing ovation during the first session of the MLP's annual general conference, with delegates applauding and cheering even before he started his address.

During the March 8 election, he was elected from the seventh district with 2,737 votes.

In his address at the Labour conference following Dr Sant's operation, the surgeon had said the Labour leader had emerged victorious from his big medical test and would do the same in the general election. In a clear reference to President Eddie Fenech Adami, he had said Dr Sant had sought treatment in Malta while others had gone to the US.

Reacting to criticism of Labour's initial coy approach to Dr Sant's condition, he had said: "The Nationalists were offended when we told them he is there and he will be there... They described my bulletins as similar to Fidel Castro's... Where is the professional ethic? They threw mud, cast doubts, created uncertainty. He is there and he will be there."

In August, he was again catapulted into the headlines after going through the trauma of a hold-up in which he was bound and beaten at his residence in Żebbuġ by three hooded and armed men who made away with about €1,200, some wristwatches and a signet ring with diamonds.