The Nationalist Party will be appointing a group of experts to draw up a clear picture of Maltese society and better understand the people’s needs and realities, party leader Simon Busuttil said yesterday.

I want this committee to be made up of MPs who are in tune with the people

They will also throw light on the social realities in the south of Malta where the Nationalist Party traditionally struggled to get votes, he said.

Dr Busuttil was speaking during the first meeting of the Nationalist Party’s Committee for the South, which is focusing on the needs of people in that area and seeking to better understand why the large majority traditionally relate better to the Labour Party.

This committee is presided over by MP Stephen Spiteri and includes MPs Mario Galea, Carm Mifsud Bonnici, Jason Azzopardi and Tony Bezzina.

“I want the committee to be made up of MPs who were elected by the people and who are in tune with the people… the committee will study, analyse, recommend and come up with an action plan.

“It will be, more than anything, an action committee that will see that things happen,” he told the media present for the first few minutes of the meeting.

Dr Busuttil said the reason for setting up the committee was simple – the PN wanted to address the “strong deficit” it had in the southern districts.

In the March election the PN obtained 28,441 votes in the four southern districts, winning only four seats that eventually increased to six after the casual elections.

In contrast, the PL secured 16 seats.

Dr Busuttil said the south had particular social realities but it did not make political sense for the people living there to relate better to Labour, as the PN had strong social policies.

The party had to deliver its message to voters in the south and win their trust by the next general election, he added.