Foreign Minister Michael Frendo’s defeat at the election for the post of Commonwealth Secretary General, which was won by India’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Kalamesh Sharma, has its own silver lining.

Yes, Dr Frendo ultimately lost out, but the inroads he made to make Malta better known to all other 52 countries that are members of the Commonwealth will remain.

Malta followed in the footsteps of the successful organisation of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, which was held here in November 2005, by presenting its own candidate for the top post of the Commonwealth.

During the campaign, Dr Frendo visited nearly all the countries that form part of this massive organisation and met representatives of others. His name, and that of Malta, made the headlines in many countries and, as the election drew closer, media reports about the election to replace the outgoing secretary general Don McKinnon increased in number and importance, particularly in the 53 member states.

And, although Dr Frendo was campaigning for his election, his visits to all these countries and his continuous meetings with their representatives were, in a sense, a campaign for Malta too.

The fact that he was not elected is not because he is not capable of running the organisation. Far from it. Other factors, extraneous to Dr Frendo and to Malta, contributed to push the candidature of Mr Sharma. But, on the whole, Dr Frendo’s effort must be appreciated, as by and large it meant exposure for Malta.

Dr Frendo’s candidature had its effects on the local political scenario too. But what seemed to bring, for once, the government and the opposition under the same banner, quickly turned into petty politics once again after the result of the election became known.

In the weeks and months leading to the election, the Malta Labour Party had openly supported Dr Frendo’s candidature, a position that was no doubt welcomed by one and all, including by the foreign minister himself. It is highly unusual in Malta for an opposition to back the government on any given issue, but the MLP perhaps realised that Dr Frendo’s election to such a prestigious post would have been in Malta’s national interests.

However, Labour’s true colours emerged after the election was lost, with Labour leader Alfred Sant saying that, after all, Dr Frendo’s campaign distracted him from his duties as foreign minister and asked the prime minister to explain why it was felt that Dr Frendo should put his name down.

Why did Dr Sant bring this up now? It gives one the impression that Labour wanted to be seen close to the government on Dr Frendo’s candidature just in case he did win the election. Now that Dr Frendo lost, Labour is saying that time has been wasted and that Malta should never have joined the fray. It’s a question of jumping off the bandwagon after the election was lost.

It is also sad to hear Dr Sant link Dr Frendo’s defeat to the electoral defeats suffered by the government since the last general election. The Commonwealth election cannot be compared to anything that is local, and Dr Sant knows it. To say that Dr Gonzi continues to be a “serial loser” following what happened in Uganda is stretching the matter too far. It smacks of political opportunism, and Dr Sant stands to lose more than the government actually did by passing such a ridiculous remark. Local elections and the one for the European Parliament are already totally different to a general election, let alone a race for the post of Commonwealth secretary-general.

Dr Sant – and the MLP – should realise that such comments could prove detrimental for the party’s aspirations when the election is held.