I had every faith from the very beginning that Joseph Muscat had all the right ingredients to lead the Malta Labour Party at this difficult juncture.

Even though it might have jarred with some friends in the party, I genuinely argued all along that we needed to think outside the box. As from day one.

In spite of all this I must confess that I was more than just pleasantly surprised by the way he has handled his first days in office. I was stunned in a positive sense of the word and impressed even beyond my own expectations notwithstanding his undoubted qualities of which I was long aware.

As David Casa, a rather militant Nationalist MEP put it, Joseph Muscat is doing his best to establish himself as a self-styled leader and conveying the message that he will be nobody’s puppet and that notwithstanding his proximity to the previous leader, he is determined to impose, albeit in a reconciliatory way, his style of leadership. An article by PN candidate Robert Musumeci on the eve of Joseph’s election carried the same positive vibes in Joseph’s regard.

I never recall having asked him personal favours and never will. But my choice was also influenced by the way in which he carried out his role as an MEP. On many an occasion I contacted him with EU legislation linked queries by a number of constituents. Much to my surprise and the latter’s astonishment not only did he touch base with them directly within hours, but in the majority of cases he delved into their cases with care and attention while treating them with the sense of urgency that not even they were waiting for or expecting.

In a particular instance I remember visiting a family who had a difficult query. Much to my surprise they reminded me that although I had brought their case to Joseph’s attention at least five months earlier, his office was still regularly following up their case of his own free will and he was doing the best to unknot a rather difficult situation that was way beyond his own remit.

One might ask what has all this got to do with leadership?

Yes it does. It shows that even when just an MEP Joseph showed that he cared. That he was on the ball. That he delivered. That he tackled problems with a sense of immediacy. That he was not complacent. And that he knew how to handle cases which went far beyond the realm of the European Parliament and the European Commission.

If only Maltese politicians on both sides of the House dealt with their constituents’ concerns and problems with the same sense of immediacy rather than opting to choose for the easier way out – by promising manna from heaven and not even bothering to lift a finger to follow up cases referred to them – the Maltese political class would have earned itself much needed credibility.

Joseph Muscat’s political honeymoon reminds me of one of those old black and white movies with a World War II setting where couples tried to enjoy a honeymoon – in the literal sense of the word – while bombs hailed on their whereabouts and people ran for cover.

Joseph Muscat has shown that he can avoid and survive such political “bombing” as he has ably shown in his TV appearances as well as in the launching of a genuine healing process as of day one. But he must also watch out for booby traps that might be unintentionally laid by people struggling for political survival within his own circles. Loose cannons who in past weeks have failed to show either good political judgment, or the organisational and administrative capabilities needed in the most crucial of moments and who have allowed an over emotional approach to hamper their response mechanisms.

Although I have always had and still do have much respect for Lino Spiteri and Alfred Mifsud, there were times when I did not necessarily see eye to eye with all their political opinions. As I am sure that they neither did in my regard. But they both scored an important point in recent articles of theirs. That Joseph has to deliver fast and well before his first 100 days in office are over.

To do so he must ensure that optimally in the next few weeks, a new administration should be up and running without any skeletons in the cupboard, as otherwise the healing process that he is strongly committed to will risk remaining in suspended animation. Or even worse getting derailed or aborted.

I am pleased to note that his fellow MEP Simon Busuttil who as confirmed by Georg Sapiano seems to have been directly approached by Lawrence Gonzi as his first choice for secretary general of the Nationalist Party spoke quite clearly in recent articles.

Not only did he admit during the party council that their electoral performance must be rated over all as a political defeat but contrary to the spin being constantly dished up on PN radio and TV stations as well as in their printed media, according to Simon not only will Joseph be giving his new job his best shot and that he should certainly not be underestimated but also that after having taken note of Joseph’s strengths and weaknesses he admitted that he has many more of the first than of the second and that it would therefore be a mistake not to take him seriously or to dismiss him too easily as a turn off.

It might be a bit rich to accuse us of having often relied on spin over substance, but Joseph will surely do well to heed such “advice” particularly since I am more than convinced that he will put much substance behind his party’s new slogans and approach. The depth of his vision statement says it all.

Joseph’s outreach since being elected leader has left everyone breathless – from his courtesy call on former Prime Minister Dom Mintoff whose place in the party history books can deservedly never be erased, warts and all, up to the noble gesture in which George Abela was welcomed at the CNL Thursday evening and the latter’s gentlemanly behaviour and show of solidarity, which culminated in his and Joseph’s warm embrace, as well as the strong and positive body language towards Joseph conveyed and radiated by George Abela on stage in front of the party delegates present.

Joseph’s admission that the party might have erred in the past is a fresh break from the usual “no regrets” mantra. It left Lou Bondi somewhat baffled when he tried to corner Joseph on certain electoral manifesto pledges of the Labour Party. To which Muscat replied snappily that they simply must be ditched or remodelled once we lost the general elections.

This is where I agree with Lino Spiteri’s positive contribution on Vice Versa, which was neither bitter nor acidic. It is useless for Labourites to complain that we lost the election with a few votes. We must all query why we did not win with a landslide when the country was experiencing a long season of discontent particularly when the government had long gone by its sell-by date.

The election analysis report does not leave much to the imagination, confirming that with its creaky party machine Labour was not even fit to govern, once it was not even capable of putting a decent proof-read manifesto in place or else of organising the basics of a professional campaign. Unless these people stand up to be counted we will be reminded of Robert Abela, the former Maltasong Board Chairman who remarked as follows when commenting on the abysmal results obtained by Malta at the Eurovision Song Contest with him at the helm: “If you ask me what went wrong, I honestly don’t know!” In our case we can at least thank the electoral analysis report. As for the Eurovision Song Contest failure report – we are still waiting!

In our actions and in our behaviour we cannot risk coming across as being or sounding discordant with Joseph Muscat’s reconciliatory tone. Those who already did so must pay the price and give a good and serious thought to moving to pastures new. If they really believe in Joseph Muscat they must show that they put the party’s interest before their own self-interest. Failed prima donnas in a choir will only wreck the Muscat project. I will repeat it once again we owe no one a living.

In a lighter vein, until recently Joseph Muscat was dismissed as a Little Child if Mary Spiteri pardons the plagiarism. Now we have been told that he is on the cusp of middle age! Please give us a break!

As I sign off this article I would like to congratulate the party’s new two deputy leaders on their election Friday evening. I am confident that they will do their utmost to work in synch with Joseph to facilitate the implementation process of his tough and demanding agenda. It will be a feather in their cap if they do so as I do not doubt that they will – to the best of their abilities.

Leo Brincat is opposition spokesman on foreign affairs and IT e-mail: [email protected]