Businessman Raymond Bugeja has confirmed he is considering making an outsider’s bid for the leadership of the Nationalist Party.

Mr Bugeja has set up a facebook page to gauge interest .

Born in Sliema in 1951 and with a background in accountancy, Mr Bugeja is the owner of the RBG Group (Malta) and has extensive experience of working overseas, He was a co-founding partner of Kairos Group (London and Milan), Deputy chief operating officer of European Equities UBS Milan and London and finance manager for TNT Express. He also served as finance manager at Reuters.

He has been a member of the PN for many years.

“Two years ago I suggested to a high-ranking PN official that the party should go to the elections with a new leader,” he said on his page, adding that he still had much respect for the efforts of Lawrence Gonzi in bringing macro Malta to where it is today.

He said the PN needed immediate renewal so that if could become a firm, effective opposition. The party had come to a stage where new ideas would only come from fresh blood.

He also posted some ideads for reflection.

For example, he said, Should the Party change its name to Partit Popolari Malti (PPM) in Maltese and Maltese People's Party (MPP) in English?

Should the Party Leader, Deputy Leader and Secretary General be elected by a) the National Council (as now), b) all of the members, or c) a mix of the two?

Should ministers be appointed for only 2½ years (half a legislature) to ensure automatic checks and balances even within Government and to give more MP's an opportunity to become a minister without the vehicle of Parliamentary Secretaries? - subject of course to the Prime Minister's prerogative to change a minister at any time.

He also asked how transparent, communicative and close to the people was the last PN government.

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