The decision by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi to appoint former Cabinet Minister John Dalli as his consultant on matters connected with the economy, competitiveness and negotiations does not close an unfortunate chapter in Dr Gonzi's Premiership and in his leadership of the Nationalist Party. On the contrary, it opens a new one which is likely to still be unfinished by the time the country goes to the polls. Unless, that is, all cards are laid on the table by then which is, however, unlikely, given the damage that could be caused to the PN.

Answers, as our sister paper The Sunday Times, noted yesterday, must be forthcoming. The official statements made so far are at best confusing.

Let it be said at the outset: This has nothing to do with Mr Dalli himself. Just two days after his resignation from Foreign Minister at the beginning of July 2004, The Times had editorially commented that Mr Dalli had been "one of the more valid members of any government in post-Independence Malta. He possessed both the will and the courage to take decisions that, albeit unpopular, served the country well in the long run. He did not mind announcing what made him look bad in the eyes of the people, including fervent supporters of the Nationalist Party". There is nothing to indicate that he has lost any of his competencies, skills and courage.

However, the moment the Prime Minister accepted his resignation three years ago, Mr Dalli's relationship with the government and with the PN, and also the role he could play in both, became a sore point. Mainly, because one would like to think that a Prime Minister does not take lightly to such decisions and so Dr Gonzi must have pondered deeply and looked minutely into the reports/documents in his possession before opting to let Mr Dalli go.

It ought to be borne in mind too that Mr Dalli stepped down barely five months after Dr Gonzi had beaten him to the leadership of the PN, succeeding Eddie Fenech Adami. This was another reason why Dr Gonzi would have exercised extra care when handling the matter.

So what has happened? Why did Dr Gonzi decide - whether it was a decision he made on his own or through consultation is really immaterial at this stage - to bring back Mr Dalli now, a few months from a general election and when the Auditor General has yet to publish the report the Prime Minister says cleared Mr Dalli from an alleged wrongdoing that had been pivotal in his resignation?

The people expect a more thorough explanation than they have been given so far. Perhaps, it would not be amiss for Dr Gonzi to make a statement in Parliament this evening. That would offer the opposition to make its own queries about the whole matter. If everything is above board the Prime Minister should have no problem doing so.

There is one other point that needs clarification: The infamous false report about allegations of corruption in a contract for Mater Dei Hospital equipment. Mr Dalli repeatedly insisted that was the real reason why he had been forced to go. Dr Gonzi said it was not. Yet, the day after he is appointed consultant to the Prime Minister, Mr Dalli files a judicial protest raising the matter once again. There must be some significance in that.

The Prime Minister has a lot of explaining to do and time is not in his favour.