Appointment 'underlines women's role in society'

President George Abela's daughter-in-law, Lydia Abela, has been appointed secretary of the Labour Party's national executive, a role created by the party general conference which ended on Sunday.

The 31-year-old lawyer was unanimously approved by the newly elected executive council yesterday afternoon in a secret vote.

The conference also abolished the powerful post of party general secretary and the role which replaces it is of an administrative nature. The secretary of the executive will be appointed for two years and will not be able to contest an election.

Dr Abela, who specialises in marital, civil, industrial and maritime law, was hand-picked by Labour leader Joseph Muscat.

"Through this appointment the Labour Party is underlining the important role that women have in society," Dr Muscat said during a press conference yesterday evening.

On Sunday, during the closing speech at the party's national conference, Dr Muscat seemed to lay the ground for the appointment by saying that the new movement for progressives and moderates would be at the forefront of pushing women into politics.

However, Dr Abela's appointment was not revealed until she walked out in front of the media accompanied by the Labour leader. Her husband, the President's son Robert Abela, was also at the press conference.

"Lydia's is a success story of a woman who has succeeded and is balancing her career and her family life, and an example of the role of women within the Labour Party and the movement for progressives and moderates," Dr Muscat said yesterday, adding that five of the 12 national executive members elected last week were women.

Dr Muscat said he had approached the Cospicua-born lawyer because she embraces "the politics of thought and persuasion" and her appointment showed that the PL was a united party which was opening up to new elements.

In a short speech, Dr Abela said she felt privileged to have been chosen for the role and would work to ensure the party was inclusive and eager to open its arms even to those who did not share its ideas.

"I do not believe in the politics of shouting and noise but am interested in clean politics, which through its silence is able to think rationally and look at issues from other people's viewpoints, understanding that it is not always right. I believe in non-discriminatory politics and social justice," she said.

She said her role would be administrative as well as political since she was working within a political party. It would involve assisting Dr Muscat, the party's president, two deputy leaders and other officials.

"My role within the party will be an active one, and I will be ensuring that the party's internal structures will really reflect what we believe in as a movement, and a reflection of Maltese society."

She accepted the appointment because she believed the Labour Party gave opportunities to everyone and was an inclusive movement that safeguarded everyone's interests and promoted the role of women in society.

"Just like I had the good fortune of entering the workforce, other women should have the same opportunity and the possibility to find a balance between their work and their family."

Meanwhile, the Labour Party's parliamentary group yesterday confirmed Joe Mizzi as secretary and whip for the group.

Joe Sammut and Noel Farrugia were confirmed as assistant whips. In the same meeting, Leo Brincat, Carmelo Abela, Gino Cauchi, Anthony Agius Decelis and Joe Debono Grech were chosen as the group's representatives in the party's national executive.