So, finally, a PN government has decided to set up a strategic planning unit under the direct responsibility of the Prime Minister himself. According to Lawrence Gonzi, "This is a crucial moment and we can grab opportunities if we prepare ourselves adequately" (The Times, February 11). He also wishes to give ministers a clear direction. Really?
The lack of a strategic planning capacity has been the weakest point in the economic strategy of successive PN administrations. Such planning smelled of communist dirigisme and ran counter to their neo-liberal economic philosophy. Strategic planning is equally essential in a free market economy. The "invisible hand" brings together all the planning that takes place at the micro (enterprise or institution) level. It is a bottom-up approach rather than vice-versa. It is unfortunate that many of our economic units lack this strategic planning culture and capacity.
On coming to power in 1996, the PL fully realised this. Alfred Sant's idea was to give ownership of the strategic planning task to the social partners. The Forum for a Better Economy was set up as the technocratic arm of the then Malta Council for Economic Development. At the time, I worked for the private sector (Farsons) and I was appointed chairman of this Forum. In a relatively short time, and despite all the obstacles raised by the civil service, we formulated a strategic plan, which was published as a White Paper so as to encourage feedback from the public.
Entitled Value 2000: Focusing Resources For Superior Competition, this document was meant to be the starting point of a web of strategic planning around sectoral, thematic and geographic issues. Value 2000 was generally well-received, the PN's sole criticism being that it did not focus sufficiently on EU issues. This had been purposely avoided as we wanted the plan to achieve as broad a consensus as possible. For us, EU membership was not an end in itself but one strategic option towards building a prosperous, value-driven society.
As a result of this White Paper, an Economic Policy Council had been set up under the chairmanship of Leo Brincat, then Minister of Finance and Commerce. In a modern society, strategic planning is critical in addressing complex, cross-cutting policy issues, which often transcend the boundaries of individual ministries. Strategic planning provides a holistic approach that fosters policy convergence and coordination. It is a pity that the fall of the PL government in 1998 meant an abrupt end to all this.
Now it seems that the government intends to start moving again. Of course, EU membership involves a lot of strategic planning for the EU does little without having some sort of plan. The unfortunate thing is that the PN government, for years, looked upon such planning as purely an obligatory paper-filling, cut-and-paste exercise in obtaining EU funds. So is the Prime Minister now convinced of the importance of having proper strategic planning? Or is the motive purely political, an attempt to consolidate his grip on running the country?
It would be most unfortunate for Malta if the setting up of this Strategy Unit leads to increased centralisation and a higher concentration of power. Time after time, the government is being accused of being arrogant and removed from the feelings and needs of the common person. A PN backbencher went as far as publicly remarking: "What's the point of having a king and queen in a castle surrounded by a few people, without the support of the majority of citizens?" (The Times, February 14). We deserve much better. We want an open government that promotes transparency and accountability. The PN government is burnt-out.
EU membership has taken away its vision, raison d'être and driving force. Coming up with a half-baked, lifeless Vision 2015 reflects the poor state the PN is in. It should be even more disturbing than the "backbencher revolution". GonziPN will probably survive this revolution but our country will not progress, economically and socially, without a strong vision. We desperately need one shared goal that captures the public's imagination and secures its commitment.
The PN requires a new generation of leadership to formulate and live for a strong vision. The PN is dishevelled by its past and will find it increasingly difficult to keep up with the changing local and European scenarios. One feels that the Prime Minister has missed a golden opportunity in not going for a radical Cabinet reform. Instead, he opted for damage control. Will his manoeuvring suffice to withstand the onslaught arising from the water and electricity tariffs and the primary health reform? Does his team have what it takes to get our economy out of the recession, take full advantage of EU membership and reverse the fall in our standard of living?
One final thought on a different (but related) issue. The Valletta entrance. Dear Prime Minister, would it not make better sense to utilise the "open theatre" for our House of Representatives and the proposed new Parliament building for our artistes?
fms18@onvol.net