New policy unit at PM's Office

A new unit has been set up within the Prime Minister's office to help him, and ministers, draw up the country's strategic policy.

"This is a crucial moment and we can grab opportunities if we prepare ourselves adequately," Lawrence Gonzi said, adding that the unit would be under his direct responsibility and would give ministers a clear direction.

Speaking after the swearing-in of Health Minister Joe Cassar at the Grand Master's Palace, in Valletta yesterday, Dr Gonzi said the strategic unit would bring together part of the planning authority's function, which had its own strategic unit on land use, research and innovation, intellectual property rights and also the input of economic expertise, part of which came from the Finance Ministry.

"This way we will have a focused strategic unit that directs the government's work in the future," he said.

One of the main changes in the Cabinet is the shifting of Enemalta and the Water Services Corporation from the Infrastructure Ministry headed by Austin Gatt to the Finance Ministry, under Tonio Fenech. Dr Gonzi explained that Mr Fenech was the one having talks with both the tourism and the manufacturing industry about the impact of the new water and electricity tariffs.

However, the biggest change was the promotion of Dr Cassar from parliamentary secretary to Health Minister.

Formerly, Social Policy Minister John Dalli was also in charge of health but Dr Gonzi has split the super-ministry, adding social policy to the portfolio of Dolores Cristina, who is now responsible for education, employment and the family. Culture, which was previously in Mrs Cristina's portfolio, has been passed on to Tourism Parliamentary Secretary Mario de Marco, who has also been given the environment portfolio.

Speaking soon after he was sworn in, Dr Cassar said the new post was evidence of the importance the government gave to healthcare. "I will continue working just as we did in the past two years." It would be "business as usual" for him as from today.

He admitted that big challenges lay ahead for healthcare, which needed addressing and underlined the importance of the primary care reform, now in consultation stage.

Dr Cassar said the next challenge lay in building a new rehabilitation hospital for people who did not need acute treatment at Mater Dei Hospital.

"At the moment, Mater Dei is being used as a primary, secondary and tertiary centre. We have to build a new rehabilitation hospital and have a good primary health system and better health centres that provide better care to patients within the community," he said.

Asked whether the review of the medicines formulary would mean that some people would lose their right to free drugs, Dr Cassar said this would not happen.

"The formulary needs to be updated. We will not remove entitlement but some people who are not entitled to free medicines right now will become entitled," he said.

Also in the pipeline is a cancer strategy, which Dr Cassar said would focus a lot on prevention, as well as the building of a new oncology centre on the grounds of Mater Dei Hospital.

As a result of the Cabinet reshuffle, Parliamentary Secretary Chris Said has been given the added responsibilities for consumer rights and competition, two areas, which, according to Dr Gonzi, were of "cardinal importance".

The Prime Minister said the government wanted to ensure there were efficient and effective structures ensuring a just price for products and services.

Parliamentary Secretary Jason Azzopardi will be taking on the added responsibility for the self-employed and small businesses.

Dr Gonzi said he wanted to retain a lean Cabinet, as promised before the 2008 general election, but he also decided to refine Cabinet.

"As I promised before the election, I wanted to retain a leaner Cabinet, with a relatively young age," he said, adding that it was imperative for the country to remain focused on the generation of new jobs, leading to a better quality of life. Asked whether he considered returning any backbenchers who had ministerial experience in previous legislatures to Cabinet, Dr Gonzi said he considered everything but felt it was important to remain focused.