The Prime Minister believes “the jury is still out” on whether he made a mistake in appointing George Abela as President, but he maintains it was the right decision for the country.
“(It) was an attempt to break a mould,” Lawrence Gonzi told The Sunday Times during a question and answer session at the media organisation’s refurbished offices in Valletta.
He explained how for the first time in history, the Prime Minister of a party in government in Malta had the courage after long years of political upheaval to put somebody from an opposing party in the highest political position.
“So I think the decision at the time was correct and today in hindsight I still consider that decision to be correct... George Abela ticked all the boxes and he was the only one to do so; I realised then that it was an opportunity which would never repeat itself.”
While consistently defending his decision, Dr Gonzi expressed his displeasure at the way the President’s son, Robert, criticised him in such an “embarrassing” way during a recent mass meeting.
Dr Abela, who has chosen not to contest the election on the Labour Party ticket to pursue a legal career, recently addressed a mass meeting where he reserved special criticism for the Prime Minister and “GonziPN’s” administration.
Did Dr Gonzi feel this was not prudent on the President’s behalf or his son? Hadn’t the President’s three predecessors all seen their sons enter politics, so why was Dr Abela’s behaviour different?
“Seeing that Dr Abela’s appointment was an exceptional, unique move, I would have expected prudence,” Dr Gonzi replied.
“It’s just the way he addressed the mass meeting and attacked me... I think it’s tasteless. I’m not comfortable with that.
“I repeat, this was not the President we’ve had in the past; this was a breath of fresh air. It was possibly the biggest step forward, which in my opinion, should have received more respect from the President’s own son.” Dr Gonzi said he felt the President had been doing a good job and had succeeded in bringing people together.
“However, things have happened that are not necessarily the President’s doing. It’s just that his son should have stepped back,” he said.
Moving on from the Presidency to the situation in the law courts, Dr Gonzi said he was “disgusted” by the unbecoming behaviour of certain magistrates.
However, he did not agree that the court was in shambles, as this would be putting everybody in the same basket which was unfair.
He did recognise people’s concerns that cases took too long and hoped the situation could be worked out in such a way that judges did not feel their work was being undermined.
He insisted the behaviour of magistrates and judges had to be monitored and regulated, and he said more powers for the Chief Justice should be considered.
Dr Gonzi said the Commission for the Administration of Justice had to be radically revised, if not abolished and substituted with something that worked.
“I’m convinced we need to get the political dimension out completely and discipline needs to be exercised by the Chief Justice; though then you need somebody to oversee the overseer. We need to think this through carefully, but what we have so far is not getting us where we want,” he said.
Touching on the campaign, Dr Gonzi insisted it was still possible to win the March 9 election even though the polls were showing the Labour Party was ahead by a fair margin.
“It’s not the first time I find myself at a disadvantage in the polls. It was the same situation five years ago... While I recognise we’re at a disadvantage, there are still six weeks of tough campaigning to go and experience has shown me it can make a difference, even in the last three or four days.”
Asked if the party was making any inroads, Dr Gonzi said it was still early days and voting intentions could change.
In the event that he lost the election was he willing to step down?
“I don’t wish to go down this road. I think we can win this... So far I’ve always won,” he joked, adding with a smile that he would not know what to do if he lost, “because I’ve never had to face this situation”.