Voting for a leader of a political party is no mean decision. Voting for the leader of the Nationalist Party, who will automatically be the leader of the Opposition, and also a prime minister in waiting is not only serious but a responsibility.

When I vote on September 16, I want to know not only what the two contestants stand for, but more importantly I want to know everything about their political background. All the four Nationalist Party leaders I remember - George Borg Olivier, Eddie Fenech Adami, Lawrence Gonzi and Simon Busuttil - reached the party leadership after a long apprenticeship. They went up the ladder slowly.

Borg Olivier was called upon to contest for the Nationalist Party  by Ugo Mifsud in 1939. He made it to the Council of Government together with Sir Ugo and Enrico Mizzi. In 1940 he became the interim leader of the PN following the death of Sir Ugo who, in the Council of Government, was defending Mizzi and the other internees in Uganda. In 1950 he became leader of the Nationalist Party and prime minister when Mizzi died in office.

In the early 1960s Fenech Adami was president of the Birkirkara local PN committee and represented the sixth electoral district in the executive committee. He contested the 1962 and 1966 general elections unsuccessfully and was co-opted MP in 1969 following the death of George Caruana. Before he became PN leader in 1977 he was assistant general secretary of the party and president of the administrative council and of the general council.

Gonzi contested unsuccessfully his first general election  on the PN ticket in 1987. In 1988 and 1992 he was appointed Speaker of the House. In 1998, following the PN election victory, he was a minister and Leader of the House. In 2004, following an election  between four contestants, he became PN leader and prime minister.

Busuttil started his political career when he propelled Malta’s accession to the European Union: head of the Malta-EU Information Service; the Core Negotiating Group and MEUSAC. In 2004 he was elected MEP and again in the following election, garnering the highest number of votes ever. In 2012 he resigned as MEP following his election as PN deputy leader. In 2013, following the PN defeat at the polls and the resignation of Gonzi from PN leader, Busuttil was elected party leader.

We, the paid up members of the PN, elect the ‘establishment’. We will be electing the establishment after the September 16 elections

All past PN leaders had a track record of service to the party and the country. All climbed the ladder. No one found himself on top without hard work and sacrifices.

Today, two people are fighting it out for the party leadership: Chris Said and Adrian Delia.

Even though he is the youngest of the two contenders, Said has a formidable political background. In his teens he already formed part of the PN Youth Movement. He was a member of the Nadur sectional committee, mayor of Nadur, parliamentary secretary and minister. Following the 2013 election he was elected PN secretary general. During his tenure he contributed towards the cleaning of the financial mess within the party, halved the gap  between the Labour Party and the PN in the local council elections and had a major role in the PN election of its third MEP.

I do not know anything about Delia’s political past. I do not think he has any because I am informed that even when he was called to contest with the PN he declined. But he was the first to announce that he was going to contest the PN leadership following the resignation of Busuttil.

Delia is supposed to be the flag-bearer against the ‘establishment’. He accused the establishment of wanting to get rid of him. But who/or what is the establishment? The structure of the PN is always voted for by its members, and forms part of the PN statute. The PN leader and the deputy leaders were elected by the councillors at a general council,  the same council that voted Delia and Said to contest the party leadership. So any accusation against the establishment is an accusation against the councillors.

The officials of the PN are chosen by the executive committee of the party. This committee is made up  of  representatives of the 13 electoral district committees, of parliamentary deputies, representatives elected by the general council and the representatives of the various movements within the party. These are the establishment of the PN and therefore the establishment is chosen by us. So whoever is accusing the establishment is accusing all of us who participate in the choice of the different representatives.

We, the paid-up members of the PN, elect the establishment. We will be electing the establishment after the September 16 elections. If elected, I am sure that Delia will wish to change the establishment to suit his agenda. And I will not blame him for changes he makes in accordance with the party’s statute.

I have nothing against Delia. However, I would prefer the PN to be in a pair of safe experienced hands. I would prefer my party to be led by someone with a good track record in the party and in government, by  someone I know.

I am declaring my vote. I am voting for Chris Said.

Joe Zahra is former editor of In-Nazzjon.