Since our leader has announced the new shadow cabinet, and most importantly, the new set-up, I have received innumerable messages of support and have read many articles and contributions indicating a lack of understanding of Simon Busuttil's decisions. 

Indeed, the people most close to me are somewhat confused.  However, I assured one and all that I do not feel demoted or relegated, and least still, humiliated or set aside. This is what was needed, and I discussed the strategy with our leader and not only am I in full agreement, but I support his decision because I am firm believer that the common good always has to come before personal considerations. 

The government I formed part of stood by this principle, and the party I belong to lives by this principle. Unfortunately, it has also paid dearly for its principles throughout its history.

I would like to quote from an article written by Stephen Calleja on The Malta Independent (website), who said that "his (Simon Busuttil's) top target was to sweep away the MPs with baggage coming from the Gonzi administration, irrespective of whether they did their job well. Their only fault was having been named as ministers in the 2008 administration. That only ruled them out of the running for a post in Dr Busuttil's new line-up."

Typical of him, he hit the nail on the head. 

Joseph Muscat had promised an earthquake and delivered the same people that governed us in the 1980s, while Simon Busuttil, who the MLP media do their utmost to depict as a soft-soap, has said little and delivered a paradigm shift.

This is another step towards the new PN.  This country needs a real alternative to this government, and Simon Busuttil has shown that he is a real leader and is not only able to take decisions, but to renew and regenerate a party from literally nothing.  Joseph Muscat keeps on telling us that he is capable of taking decisions when it is clear to everyone he is not, while Simon Busuttil has repeatedly shown courage, resolve and determination time and time again, even when he stood alone in the debris.

From now on, Joseph Muscat has lost his marketing trump card: that today's PN is a continuation of the Gonzi's administration.  Every time this argument will be brought up, it will sound hollow and pathetic. 

People can now focus on the decisions and actions of Joseph Muscat, who cannot hide any more behind smoke screens of wooden clocks, hidden reports, accusations and mudslinging.  He is accountable for his actions and for those of his nominees, and the people now know that there is a new PN that they can turn to if this government continues to show the cronyism, inaptitude, incompetence, and under handedness that it has excelled in during the past years. 

I always believed in Simon Busuttil, and his actions during the past months have convinced me that we are witnessing the making of our future Prime Minister, a true statesman not a salesman.

Simon Busuttil is not alone in the debris any more.  The terrain has been cleared, the gushing waters have been tamed, structures are being erected all around, and I, together with all my colleagues in the parliamentary group are standing there beside him, and the crowd is becoming bigger by the day, by the hour.  Believe in us, and trust me when I tell you that this is a new PN.

Joe Cassar is PN spokesman for arts and culture