With the electoral campaign over and the verdict known to all, life returns to normality. Like Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi declared, “now it’s back to work”. Among the first tasks as Prime Minister, Dr Gonzi had the strenuous task of selecting the new cabinet.
The Cabinet, which is now smaller with eight ministries, is constituted of both experienced and younger politicians. The choice reflects the wishes of the electorate, which on more than one occasion during the electoral campaign, demanded new faces in decision-making posts. Lawrence Gonzi delivered his first electoral promise by reshuffling the Cabinet and introducing six new faces in the posts of parliamentary secretary.
However, this was not the only electoral promise that has been delivered. Dr Gonzi kept his promise by undertaking the responsibility of the Malta Environmental and Planning Authority. The new task will not be easy, but after the good job he has made in consolidating the national finances and putting our country on the right track towards further economic growth, I am more than certain that the reform needed in this authority will be made, and it will be for the benefit of all.
During this legislature, the government will be availing itself of the e855 million from the European Union budget. These funds will be used to improve the country’s infrastructure, environment and competitiveness.
The choices made by Dr Gonzi do not reflect on the former ministers’ capabilities, but are due to the new challenges that Malta will be facing in the coming years and the wishes of the people to see new faces.
The aim of a smaller Cabinet is to reduce further the red tape that surrounds civil services and ministerial bodies. This will consolidate further our vision to accomplish more in the coming years.
The Nationalist Party in government is able to recognise the challenges and the requests made by the electorate. The members of the new Cabinet are politicians that have excelled in their work both as former ministers, parliamentary secretary and even as backbenchers.
The new ministers and parliamentary secretaries have a very arduous task to keep up with the results achieved by the previous legislature. Our integration in the European Union and the attraction of high quality investors are just two examples of the successes achieved by the former Cabinet. However, knowing personally the people that form the new team, I believe that our country will not only continue to achieve, but also to reach new levels of success.
New faces bring with them new ideas that result in innovation. Improvement to strengthen the assurance that Malta will keep moving on the successful track that was set by the previous cabinet.
Nevertheless, this government will not have a plain-sailing legislature. Apart from the self-implied goals, that of becoming a centre of excellence in six sectors together with the improvement of Gozo, our country must continue working on the targets that were set by the Lisbon strategy.
The main fields of the Lisbon strategy are economic, social, and environmental renewal and sustainability. These fields are listed in the electoral programme presented by the Nationalist Party.
I truly believe that the new Cabinet will continue working hard like previous cabinets formed by Nationalist Party in government throughout different periods of our history, which has left indelible marks in the formation of our nation, results that speak for themselves and will continue to do so.
The Nationalist Party has a DNA that guarantees achievement. We are the party that has led our country from the colonial era towards Independence back in 1964; we are the party that guided this country towards membership in the European Union and to the adoption of the euro.
However, this is not enough, we must work harder to achieve more. We are the party that wants to see this country excel, first by reaching a surplus in our budget by 2010, and then by reaching a level of excellence by 2015. We have the potential and if we believe in ourselves, we can achieve after all ‘together everything is possible.’
I would like to take the opportunity to congratulate all Members of Parliament that have either been elected or re-elected to the House, a task that demands responsibility since they will be voicing not only their opinion but also representing their constituents.
David Casa is a Nationalist MEP
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www.davidcasa.eu