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Is the time ripe for
a Cabinet reshuffle?
Rumours going around the corridors of Parliament and various
ministries seem to indicate that a re-shuffle in government
is due at any time. The Prime Minister, Dr Eddie Fenech Adami,
is believed to be very unhappy with some of his ministers and
their performance over the past two-and-a-half years. Whether
or not these rumours are true and that the Prime Minister will
introduce fresh blood in some ministries is still to be seen,
however there is not doubt that the Nationalist government needs
to take a very serious look at the way it is functioning.
The electorate has been sending warning signals to the government
for more than six months. The electorate is not happy with the
present state of affairs and management of certain government
departments. Looking back at the government’s term in office
so far, there is little that Dr Fenech Adami’s government
can really boast of.
The economy has not picked up, whatever the figures may indicate.
It is true that efforts to cut the deficit have been partly
successful, yet public expenditure remains high and will take
more than words to reduce. The feel-good fact pre-1996 and post-1998
has disappeared and the public is more disillusioned than ever.
The business community is feeling the pinch, faced with higher
costs and little economic prospects for the future. The serious
problem of liquidity and late payments have not helped boost
business confidence, either. Foreign direct investment has remained
“foreign” despite efforts by the MDC to bring in this
much needed investment. The Business Promotion Act is an excellent
tool – but the government needs to put more energy into
this project.
The public sector continues to be bloated and is as inefficient
as ever. Yet, despite the obvious lack of management in this
sector the government still paid out millions of liri to government
employees.
The introduction of new taxes on fringe benefits has only alienated
those who form part of the economy’s driving force –
the middle and upper class worker.
The pensions problem continues to rear its ugly head but there
is little enthusiasm to tackle this issue head on. The Commission
for Social Welfare Reform has still not presented its report
to government. Has the government pressured the Commission to
hurry up? No.
While we are all in favour of Malta becoming a member of the
European Union, it is unacceptable that the government has neglected
affairs closer to home.
The result of the local council elections in March is a clear
sign to the government that the citizens and the business community
are not happy with the administration and the way it is leading
the country. The country has nearly reached the point of no
return. Investor confidence in this country is rock bottom and
this is reflected in the performance of the local stock exchange.
Dr Fenech Adami’s government is taking a big risk and must
do everything in his power to re-instil confidence in the economy.
It is perhaps the Nationalist Party’s bane that it takes
people too much for granted. Instead of learning from past mistakes,
it simply turns a blind eye to the real situation in the country
and the perception people have of this government.
Faced with the prospect of not only losing the next election
but also the referendum on European membership, it will take
the government a lot of hard work to regain the electorate’s
confidence. Dr Fenech Adami knows well enough that the Labour
Party will not win the election because Dr Sant is offering
the electorate a fresh vision for the country but because the
people have had enough. They said so in 1996 and will not think
twice about saying so again. This time the stakes are much higher.
While the rumours going around may just be that, rumours, there
is always an element of truth. A Cabinet re-shuffle may be the
trump card for Dr Fenech Adami to ensure another electoral victory
and a positive outcome in the referendum. Whether he has the
will-power to effect such a shake-up is another matter. The
future of the Nationalist government and the party depends on
him.
The future of Malta depends on him.
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