Editorial

Perhaps the biggest surprise in Lawrence Gonzi's new Cabinet is his decision to retain the finance portfolio himself. The record shows this is not an unprecedented move but it is certainly rare.

Dr Gonzi, speaking just hours after being sworn in as Prime Minister and soon after the ministers and parliamentary secretaries took their oath of office, coyly - somewhat jokingly too - rejected any hint that he could have had problems finding somebody willing to take over finance. "I offered it to myself and accepted it willingly", he told journalists.

Earlier he had said the decision that finance should fall under the Prime Minister's wing was meant to transmit a clear signal that it was an area that featured right on top of this government's agenda. One would have thought that it was the case under every Nationalist administration, including the one in which Dr Gonzi was Deputy Prime Minister. And, yet, the Cabinet then did include a finance minister!

So what really led Dr Gonzi to assume stewardship of the finance portfolio himself? The reason he gave is not at all convincing at least on two counts.

If the country's finances require individual attention - and there is no doubt in anybody's mind that they do - then it would be more logical to have an ad hoc minister to focus all his/her energies on that area. The Prime Minister has already a lot on his plate to be able to dedicate the time and attention that the delicate financial situation the country is in deserve.

Secondly, if the Prime Minister took finance under his wing to give it top priority why not competitiveness too? Here again there can be no doubt that the country's competitiveness, as well as attracting foreign investment, are likely to prove make or break issues for the government over the coming years.

Dr Gonzi said he wanted to introduce "innovations" to his Cabinet in order to be able to attain his 10 priority points. In addition, the new Prime Minister has also decided to set up four new Cabinet committees, each focusing on areas which, one is justified in assuming, the government wants to address in an attempt to achieve results. The four committees will deal with the environment, social policy, competitiveness and national projects. The issue of state finances is conspicuous by its absence here, given the weight the Prime Minister said he wanted to give the sector.

Statistically, the Cabinet is one minister smaller than the previous one. However, when taking into account the extended set-up it is bigger than the Fenech Adami one because it has two additional parliamentary secretaries.

There has been a reshuffling of some portfolios and, to be fair with Dr Gonzi, some messages have been transmitted both in terms of the performance of some members and also in the way things will have to work.

Dr Gonzi wisely suggested that although he cannot tell what may happen in the future he cannot either rule out the possibility of changes to the Cabinet if circumstances demand it.

Rightly or wrongly the Cabinet is now what it is and both Dr Gonzi and his new team deserve to be given time to prove themselves. What they must bear in mind is the fact that the challenging times just round the corner do not allow any room for mistakes, half-baked measures or inertia. It is time to deliver.