Editorial

Those who believe in coincidences will be asking themselves how come certain Nationalist backbenchers have done all they could in recent days to make headlines either in newspapers or on the internet. Those who are more cynical, either as a result of past experience of the political scene or by design, will be pointing to the decision Lawrence Gonzi must make in a few days' time.

The Cabinet reshuffle, or lack of one, forced upon Dr Gonzi by the impending departure of Social Minister John Dalli, who will be taking up his post as European Commissioner, could be a determining factor in the next election; perhaps, even, a determining factor as to when that election will be.

It seems that as soon as one backbencher stops talking, another starts, and then there are moments when they sing in discordant harmony. Anyone who does not see this as a problem for the Nationalist Party, indeed for the government which has a slender one-seat majority, should stop staring at fine particles of rock and seashells in the dark. This is not healthy input; it is motivated and destabilising criticism.

As always, there is a degree of irony. The country has moved steadily forward since Dr Gonzi assumed the helm of the PN in 2004, and Malta is emerging a little grazed but, unlike the majority of other parts of Europe and the world, by no means battered by the worst economic recession in more than 75 years. However, one recent decision after another has shown that the government has become insensitive - the more serious accusation would be out of touch - to what people are thinking and feeling. Compensation to bus owners is the latest on the list.

The Prime Minister may look back with some regret at some of his own actions too. His decision to ask Mr Dalli to be Commissioner was perhaps warranted since the Social Policy Minister appears to have never forgiven him for his effective removal as Foreign Minister almost six years ago. However, the same cannot be said for the loss of Louis Galea to the European Court of Auditors - particularly as the Nationalist Party does not appear, at this point in time, to have enough men and women of similar calibre to replace his like with.

Matters are not made any easier by this government's inherent inability to communicate a message. Dr Gonzi repeated the phrase in the run-up to the 2008 election that voters should judge his administration by what it does, not by what it says.

However, this does not mean that the government should not say anything, should not be dedicating time to explaining and, more importantly, persuading people that it is doing the right things. Yet there is nobody, it seems, who is performing this role.

Moreover, the idea of Cabinet government has been compromised by fear of certain backbenchers, who are managing to condition this administration's every step. Some of these MPs think they should be consulted before the government makes any announcement and also believe they should be summoned to Castille for a promotion in the coming days.

The Prime Minister will make his biggest mistake if he appeases them. He must make Cabinet appointments solely on the basis of merit and ability, and then seek to silence ill-motivated voices for good - whatever the consequences. It is clear by now that the alternative approach will not work. Certainly not for three more years.