“This is no small step,” Social Policy Minister John Dalli told The Malta Independent as we stepped into his office at Palazzo Ferreria, shortly after midday on Friday.

Coincidentally, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso had just announced the portfolios for the new Commissioners. The country was bursting with talk and enthusiasm that Mr Dalli was being entrusted with the responsibilities of Health and Consumer Policy. The general expectation was for Malta to get a low profile Commission, given that Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi only named Malta’s potential Commissioner on Monday.

While expressing his satisfaction and gratitude that President Barroso entrusted him with the Health and Consumer Policy portfolio, Mr Dalli said he spent a lot of time considering all consequences of accepting the role, prior to his meetings in Brussels.

He believes this post would not necessarily mean a natural end to his career on the Maltese political scene, as several European Commissioners had hopped to and fro from Ministerial to Commissioner roles in the past.

It is as yet difficult for Mr Dalli, 61, to say whether he will return to Maltese politics if the European Parliament approves him as Health and Consumer Policy Commissioner, and he successfully completes his five-year term.

“Maltese politics gave me a great deal of satisfaction,” he said, glancing upwards in recollection of memories, “and much heartache as well”. Mr Dalli was referring to his being forced to resign as Foreign Affairs Minister following allegations that he exercised ministerial influence to get the Iranian shipping line (IRISL) to choose a particular company, in which his relatives had interest, as its Malta agency.

He returned to the political scene very strongly shortly afterwards when voters from two districts overwhelmingly decided to return him to Parliament. He was then given the responsibility of running the Health Ministry. Ironically, it is the same ministry which was headed by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi prior to the leadership face-off with Mr Dalli.

With reference to his new responsibilities, Mr Dalli described the portfolio as a “very important” one, with great challenges for the positive development of the European Commission and its people.

“I am looking forward to working and achieving tangible solutions,” he added.

Asked whether he was expecting President Barroso to entrust him with such a portfolio, Mr Dalli said it all came as a surprise although he noted it was unlikely for him to accept a ceremonial role.

He explained that the responsibilities of his portfolio, specifically Health and Consumer Policy, had been separate portfolios in the past. The new portfolio includes the pharmaceutical industry, which the European Commission is planning to make a focal point, together with the Policy on Genetically Modified Organisms.

While he believes that this will be a great challenge for him, he is certain that competent people in the European Commission will be backing him.

Mr Dalli said President Barroso had evaluated the CVs of the people nominated for the Commissioner posts. He in fact quoted President Barroso as having said “[he] distributed the portfolios among people and not member states.”

“I have experience and track record in the fields of my portfolio,” he said.

“Although I am no figure in the EU, I managed our country's available resources effectively,” he remarked.

When questioned about possible apprehension over the notorious confirmation hearings, known as grilling sessions, Mr Dalli said he is confident of doing well and nothing in particular was worrying him. Before Commissioners are appointed, they have to be approved, or disapproved, by the European Parliament: a lot of questions are asked, and it is never easy – even for the coolest of heads.

He explained that he had no conflicts of interest in relation to the responsibilities entrusted to him. However, he noted that anything could crop up on philosophical or ethical issues and he was preparing himself thoroughly. Mr Dalli was, of course, referring to the grilling of 2004's Italian candidate Rocco Buttiglione who was heavily pressed on his views about homosexuality. Although he said they were his personal views and would not affect his work, he later withdrew his nomination.

“I will prepare myself as if I were sitting for an exam and must pass through the process,” Mr Dalli said. He will then “look forward enthusiastically” to his new role.

“These sessions are no rubber stamp,” he pointed out, adding that MEPs had a right to ensure the people nominated as Commissioners were competent.

President Barroso explained the portfolio details to Mr Dalli in Brussels on Thursday and, on the flight back to Malta, Mr Dalli met the five Maltese MEPs. He discussed his appointment with the group, especially with PL MEP Louis Grech, who follows subjects related to health closely.

Mr Dalli noted he always tried reaching consensus on the issues he was addressing, noting that discussion and resolution of conflict was “our country's salvation” and guaranteed sustainability.



Social Policy Ministry work



Mr Dalli is an experienced minister in the fields of finance and economy, foreign affairs, and lately in social policy.

He went on to point out his satisfaction and happiness with what his ministry achieved in the past year and a half. Voicing his excitement about the programme for the coming years, he was convinced that once it starts to be implemented, the country will benefit from the best quality health services in a sustainable scenario.

Among the key subjects was the primary health reform – what Mr Dalli dubbed as the first storey of our future health care system. Public consultation is the next step to ensure it works smoothly and gives patients the best service, he explained.

“All our work revolves around our patients, who are the top priority,” he said with the thought he would be Health Minister of 500 million people come February lingering and manifesting itself in his expression.

Meanwhile, he will see that the Mater Dei Hospital management reorganisation continues, as does the development of the idea of introducing health insurance for better financial sustainability of the healthcare system. The plan is for the government to create a strong safety net for everyone, ensure the services remain free for everyone and, ultimately, have a financially organised healthcare system.

Once health insurance is introduced, everyone will know how much things cost and new ways of financing it will be employed, he explained.

The rent reform is also in progress together with a number of policies which need to be finalised. These include the sexual health policy, which Mr Dalli said has been final for the past nine months but ways to finance it must be found. Others include family policy and revision of the free medicine entitlement list, as a number of illnesses are not included.

A reform is also envisaged for the medicine purchasing system. This is aimed to cut bureaucracy and medicine shortages while finding alternative ways to purchase medicines at cheaper prices.

With regard to the social services sector, Mr Dalli was coordinating the merge of all inspectorates into one. The Occupational Health and Safety Authority, the Employment and Training Corporation, the Labour Office, and the Social Services Department all have their own work but often carry out overlapping work.

“I wish them to come together under one inspectorate with specially trained personnel, to work more consistently and with fewer disturbances to people,” Mr Dalli said. “This is a sort of bureaucracy which can be substantially reduced,” he added.

He also spoke about the means testing system, which is currently displaced and not working at professional capacity. The plan is to have a specific department for this, and have it reorganised under a qualified team which will carry out full assessments and issue certificates, without the need for other departments to administer it, as is presently the case.

The housing and social services departments, among others, will then issue their marks, rather than having them all carry out tests. This will introduce standardisation while cutting abuse, Mr Dalli said.

“Our agenda is strong and I am very excited about it,” he noted. “This was one of the negative considerations I had regarding the Commissioner post as I would like to be part of the planned changes,” he added.

Mr Dalli refrained from commenting about who could be his successor, or the changes that might take place in the Social Ministry and Health Secretariats, explaining this was completely the Prime Minister's prerogative.

“Social policy is all about the people,” Mr Dalli affirmed. The Prime Minister will decide how to organise it, whom to appoint, how much weight each person is able to carry and what focus is necessary, he said.

Although he has given the Prime Minister his assessments, it is up to Dr Gonzi alone to decide what should be done.



Dalli plans to put his drive for reform into EU practice



It is no news that following Mr Dalli's leadership contest with Dr Gonzi, relations between them cooled. However, Mr Dalli negated talk of his being “kicked upstairs”, since being EU Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy is no ceremonial role. He will be Minister of 500 million people. He does however regard it as “an upstairs role” and describes it as a “promotion”.

This is a worthwhile objective and he was to put all his capabilities, including his drive for reform, innovation, and creativity, into practice.

“I will bring this attitude into practice while shedding my national outfit and wearing the European robe as Commissioner,” he said, meaning that he was now serving the Maltese interest at a higher level by serving the interests of Europe.

Mr Dalli noted the Prime Minister had taken his decision to send a new person rather than confirm the current Commissioner Joe Borg.

“I thank the Prime Minister for this, as I thank Cabinet and the parliamentary group for their approval,” Mr Dalli said.

Having a distinct personality and being a role model for the younger politicians, leaving the Nationalist Party will not be easy for Mr Dalli.

My resignation should not be rocking the boat any further, Mr Dalli said. However, he noted this all depends on how things are handled.

Meanwhile, he believed the PN's forte was its people and their mechanism of self-criticism.

“It is a party made of people with their own minds, people who have backbone who can speak up when they don't agree with something,” he said.

Being self-critical shows no lack of loyalty. To the contrary, he believed being a “yes man” and saying things others would like to hear was dishonest.

“I have always spoken to the Prime Minister clearly, saying what was annoying certain people, and I was always clear, so that we could treat existing wounds and not create further damage,” he said.

Mr Dalli explained the government was conducting a process of reforms which must continue. He advised the inclusion of all stakeholders and interested parties in the decision making process.

Ultimately decisions have to be taken, but no vacuum should be left whereby people do not understand why certain choices were taken. This discussion process was in fact happening, and the PN Parliamentary group was the most active one he remembered.

“This is a positive sign,” he noted. “It is true democratic belief by which liberty is ensured.”

The PN proved this by allowing everyone to install their own television set, among other things, back in the eighties, he said.

Asked about the Malta of today and Malta when he was first elected to Parliament in 1987, Mr Dalli said it was a matter beyond comparison. The country is much more mature and modern. It is institutionally stronger. The population’s freedom also cannot be compared to what it was back then.

“Enormous development has taken place over the situation prior to 1987,” he pointed out.

Mr Dalli interpreted Eddie Fenech Adami's leadership and his call for reconciliation as a manifestation of democracy. People in the party could not understand the call but his vision was realised.

Dr Gonzi continued to lead in Fenech Adami’s footsteps and those of other ministers, including Censu Tabone, Guido De Marco, Ugo Mifsud Bonnici, Ninu Zammit, Louis Galea, Francis Zammit Dimech and Censu Galea.

“They all played their part and put together the blocks for today's country,” he said.

Even the Opposition has moved a long way, Mr Dalli believed. “In fact I hate mentioning troubles of the forties, fifties and even more recent times, since those situations are over.”

Today we share many beliefs, he explained, and we should build on this to improve the country.

“The importance of reaching consensus on matters of belief we share is great, and it is useless to waste resources on detail if we agree in principle,” he said, explaining this was the theme of his latest Parliamentary speech in conclusion to the Social Affairs Ministry's budget estimates.

While the country still has a long way to go on such matters, Mr Dalli believes we are moving in the right direction.

Moreover, he thought politicians needed to become more visionary, while the media and people must move towards objectivity as certain issues were not properly analysed and often enough, answers were not simple.

It is important not to topple the balance when taking decisions and avoid creating new problems after solving one issue, he said.

The maternity leave extension matter which will shortly continue to be discussed locally and on a European level, was an example of the sort. While Mr Dalli was all for its extension as he believed children should be with their parents, especially in the first years of childhood, the economic sector and its competitiveness cannot be forgotten.

There are additional issues of rights for employees who replace childbearing people at the workplace.

All consequences must be well measured.



Career memories



Mr Dalli's 22-year-old political career is full of memories.

· He regards the 1987 electoral victory as one of his best memories; perhaps as it was his first and came after several bad experiences in darker times.

· Malta's EU accession in 2004 is another memory he treasures.

· On a personal level, he believed the financial services law was an important milestone as was the VAT law which he had to introduce twice as a Finance Minister. This was perhaps a Guinness world record, he jokes with the employees at his Ministry.

· Meanwhile, several of the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development meetings were very fruitful. There was a lot of turmoil in such discussions, he recalled, but the good-willed people who participated, including Anglu Fenech, Jackie Calamatta, Maurice Agius and Salvu Spiteri, achieved positive solutions.

· In a particular year, we only registered 25 days of industrial action thanks to fruitful discussion, he said.

Mr Dalli thanked all those who worked with him throughout his political career, including Ministry employees, departments falling under the same Ministries, civil officers, social partners and non-governmental organisations for their support.

Confirmation sessions for European Commissioners will be held in mid-January and will be followed by the plenary approval on 26 January. The Commission is expected to take office on 1 February.

Mr Dalli will resign from Social Policy Minister following his approval. He is looking forward to hand over his Ministerial work and assist whoever will be taking his role.



annaliza@independent.com.mt