Why choose to run for PL Deputy Leader of Party Affairs?

There were two principal factors that resulted in my decision. The first was my experience within the Labour Party structures. I have worked at different levels within the party and for ten years I served as Labour Party president. The second is that I believe I can bring a greater attention to the work within the party. Over the past years, the party has focussed on government work, but given that we will begin speaking about a general election in just under two years, I believe there is the need for there to be someone to look directly at the party’s organisational work.

What concrete changes would you make to the party?

Through my work as PL president, I was a main figure in the renewal that occurred within the Labour Party and its structures after Joseph Muscat had become leader. In fact, one of the biggest jobs I had, at the time, was the coordination of the party statute. Today, the party has more open structures which are aimed at reaching the people. I believe that we can reenergise and give new life to the party structures so that the party can better hear the people and, together, better prepare for the election through the creation of proposals and by knowing what the people expect of us.

What are your proposals?

My proposals are based on five priorities, the first of which regards the party structures. We need to go out and meet people, visit them and listen to them and, even on a district and regional level, strengthen our work and presence.

Over the past three years, we have seen government achieve tremendous success, but I believe the party needs to meet people in order to see the effect of these results, as well as to see how to reach certain sectors of society. I see this being done in synergy with the Fondazzjoni Ideat, where we would meet unions and NGOs, among others, so that we can launch the process as we did prior to the last election, which is the Party Congress, in order to set the guidelines for the electoral manifesto.

The second proposal relates to party financing, where we need to strengthen the party’s financing in light of the new party financing law. The party must also insist that the transparency credentials it has worked on in this field continue to be strengthened.

This even needs to be done to address the PN’s scheme by which it is hiding and will hide those involved.

The third pillar deals with the PL media. I believe it has an important role in relation to the party’s message. We need to strengthen the party media and deliver the party’s message in a stronger way.

Two other priorities relate to the kind of policies I believe the party should push for. The first would be for a process, through consultation under the stewardship of Labour Party, for a gradual raise in the minimum wage. We have sectors within society which need an improvement in their income. There is a need for the PL, which was a pioneer and which introduced the minimum wage in the past, to create policies relating to improving the income for parts of society.

The fifth priority regards policies to improve quality of life. While we believe in continuing to improve and increase the number of jobs, we must also look at family time. We must also look at developing the country while ensuring there are open spaces, and that any development respects quality of life.

 

The government hasn’t had the best track record over the past three years when it comes to the environment. Are you saying that mistakes have been made?

Looking at the American University [institute] of Malta, the government showed that when it listens, and because it listens, it is ready to revise its proposals. Today, instead of a project fully developed on undeveloped land, part of it has been moved to the British and Knights’ building at Dock 1 in Cospicua, which was abandoned. They are being restored and will be regenerated for a positive effect on Cottonera.

One understands that there would be criticism. One also understands that we are raising the stakes, and so is civil society, when it comes to the environment.

After the MEPA reform, where we now have an environment authority and a planning authority, we have already seen a number of decisions where we expected certain applications to go forward, yet they were in fact halted. Because society is prioritising the environment, the PL through its policies, must reflect this sentiment in order to see how one can sustain economic development, while respecting quality of life and sensitive environmental decisions.

Should you be elected, how will you gear up the PL for the next general election?

The emphasis would be on a campaign centred around the people. By people, I mean that one should look internally within the party, see where we need to better communicate and strengthen our work, see what we needs to be explained, and so on. This process, however, must not occur in a vacuum. The PL is not an entity whose decisions only interest those within the party. Its decisions interest the activists and members, but at the end of the day, our decisions influence the country’s progress. In our decisions, we must keep in mind and put into perspective that this is a party which won the last general election by such a large margin as it opened its doors, heard everyone and explained to the people where it wanted the country to go. People were participants in our decisions. I believe we must renew this formula and work on it to better deliver our message.

 

Minister Chris Cardona, by his sword and axe comment, said he meant the party needs to be more reactionary. Do you agree?

To my understanding, the PL must deliver a strong message, show its presence as a political party that benefits from the large majority achieved last election and deliver the message of its presence. As a style, I believe in strong arguments that convince and that, when such arguments are explained and presented, result in the people giving you their support and trust.

You didn’t answer my question

I’m explaining the style with which I believe that politics should occur and how things should be done.

Why didn’t you contest when Minister Mizzi contested?

In politics, everyone takes decisions based on the circumstances at that time. The message for me to consider running became clear when Konrad Mizzi decided not to remain in this position. It was here that I seriously looked at the circumstances at that moment, saw the way things could pan out, weighed the reasons why I would contest and reflected on the possible decision with my family and with a number of delegates, and decided to contest.

How would you better vet candidates for the PL?

As a party, we have always had different structures when it comes to considering candidates and people we believe would be an asset to the party. I believe that it is important for there to be discussions with candidates, where one sits, understands and scrutinises the people in the way they understand things. It is important for the party administration to clearly understand the thoughts and understanding of the candidates. We must also learn from recent experience to continue strengthening the process.

Are you considering running as a candidate in the next election?

Prior to my decision to run for the Deputy Leadership, I had already aired my interest with the party after a discussion with the party leader in contesting the upcoming general election. Obviously, if I am elected Deputy Leader, my first priority would be to work for the party. Given the change in statute, one must consider and weigh his choices depending on the responsibilities he would carry as PL Deputy Leader for Party Affairs, and move forward from there.

Have there been any discussions about you taking over Leo Brincat’s seat?

No, I have never delved into this question and have never considered it. There is an electoral process that one must follow, which I don’t see myself a part of.

Former PL Deputy Leader Toni Abela was allowed to attend Cabinet meetings – do you believe the same should be done for you if elected?

The choice as to who is present is at the discretion of the Prime Minister, and I am convinced he knows how to use that discretion and see what is in the best interest for his leadership as to who should be present in Cabinet.

If elected, will you resign as chairman of the GHRC?

After the election, one would need to evaluate and make a decision then.

How do you believe the Panama Papers scandal has affected the PL?

The biggest way this situation has affected the party is that while the PL in government is achieving high results in the health, employment and economic sectors, among others, we have a situation that has obscured what government is doing. I believe that one must reflect, and the Prime Minister has shown the will to reflect on what has occurred and what was said to see that public administration standards rise.

The Opposition has criticised the lack of a decision taken by the Prime Minister, what’s your opinion?

The Prime Minister took a decision. Now, one may discuss that decision, but a decision was taken. In the past we had a situation where one would have major scandals, grave situations exposed in public, and the reactions back then were different. Today, we have a Prime Minister taking decisions, sending a clear message and pushing forward as to how standards should rise and contrary to what happened before, these things are not being swept under the carpet.

The PN has said that it was not much of a decision considering Mizzi is still a minister working on major projects. In addition, no action has been taken against Keith Schembri.

I believe that in debates, even those relating to the Parliamentary motions, these arguments have been repeated ad nauseam and I repeat what the Prime Minister said during his speech in Parliament, that we have ended up in a situation where we are repeating arguments in order to continue arguing on questions where, in my opinion, answers have been given, decisions have been taken, and one must look forward to see how the country will continue expanding its economy, strengthening the social sector and creating jobs.

So you’re saying the debate has been talked out.

No. The government, as opposed to what happened in the past when it came to motions, did not drag its feet when it came to discussing these motions in Parliament. As a person who follows politics and has the best interest of the country at heart, I believe that while we used this Parliamentary time for this discussion, the whole population had the chance to follow, I believe that it is far more important to see discussions as to what the challenges we will see in the future. Something that the PM insists on is that the PL, through its ideas, should be the forerunner to show that it is the political force that can push this country for further achievements. 

Knowing what you know now, what came out in the Panama Papers, the whole situation it created, with hindsight, would you have run Konrad Mizzi as a candidate?

One must measure a person as a whole. It would be presumptuous of me to pass judgement, as at the end of the day, these are decisions taken on a more spread-out level through the party structures. But what I can say is that every judgement passed should take into consideration all the decisions and choices a person takes and his overall performance. I think that the debate, in this regard, should not focus on just one point, but should rather be on a wider basis, where one would arrive at conclusions from there.