Full marks to Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi for coming up with the choice of Dr George Abela as the new President of the Republic.

Full marks for two reasons. The first is that, seeing that the media was speculating on who should be Dr Eddie Fenech Adami’s successor, and seeing that Labour Party leader Joseph Muscat was planning a list of names, Dr Gonzi took the initiative and wrote to Dr Muscat to be the first to propose Dr Abela.

In this way, Dr Gonzi should be given all the credit for becoming the first Prime Minister to nominate someone from the opposite political field to occupy the country’s highest position. Such a move should earn the plaudits of one and all, and Dr Gonzi once again showed that he is a man who reads the signs of the times and is always a step ahead of the opposition.

Dr Muscat may be a fresher face in politics, but he has a long way to go before he can beat Dr Gonzi’s political acumen.

The second point is that the choice of Dr Abela could not have been better. Dr Abela is a charismatic figure who is well-respected by both ends of the political spectrum. He has worked within the Labour Party for many years, but he has always shown himself to be a moderate politician.

He is the right man for the job. Well done to Dr Gonzi for his choice and congratulations to Dr Abela for accepting the nomination.

Mary Micallef

Paola