“I’ll be there for you if you need my help'

Surgeon, former MP and Gozitan ophthalmologist Franco Mercieca is back on the ballot, contesting the 12th district for Labour. He tells us why he’s returning to politics, what the district needs most and the motto he stands by.

On the 6am ferry from Gozo, Franco Mercieca’s day begins. Mornings in Malta are for surgery and patients; afternoons and evenings are for the 12th district – door-to-door, returning calls and gathering with residents to learn what they need.

The consultant ophthalmologist first entered Parliament in 2013. Now, nearly a decade after stepping back, he is on the Labour ticket again, contesting the 12th district – Mellieħa, St Paul’s Bay, Mġarr and Burmarrad – at the general election. “When the call came, I felt a sense of responsibility to give back to society what society has given me.”

In the interim, while Mr Mercieca’s four children have become working adults, the district has also changed. “The population has swelled from 16,000 up to 40,000 – and during the summer months, it rises to 80,000,” he says of St Paul’s Bay. “There’s a need for better infrastructure, including improving traffic and parking, and better services, especially health services.”

Separation of the local councils is crucial, he asserts. “There’s a need for the local council to be divided into two: one for Buġibba and the other covering St Paul’s Bay, Xemxija and Qawra. One to focus on touristic needs and one solely for residential needs.”

His work as one of Malta’s best-known eye surgeons shapes his political approach. “As a surgeon and physician, you must decide for patients – and fast, especially in surgery,” he says. “That helps me analyse the situation quickly and reach a decision for the better of the patient.”

This same instinct also inspired Mr Mercieca as he led the team that brought the cataract waiting list down from 28 months to three. “Instead of focusing on the private sector, I felt that if we utilised the theatre time and assets we have at public hospitals, we’d be able to get our waiting list down – and we did it,” he smiles. “That experience showed that goodwill leads to many positive things. Goodwill is the trick.”

Beyond the 12th district, his most urgent concerns for Malta are quality, identity and education. “We need to improve the quality of everything we do, while working hard to preserve our cultural identity – what makes us Maltese and what makes us different from the rest. And education is key to how we live and how healthy we are. Education is the key to all.”

For voters considering where to put their first-count vote, including those who have stopped voting altogether, Franco Mercieca makes a direct case: “I’ve worked in the caring profession for the last 35 years. I’ve always worked hard – my motto is hard work and honesty. I’ll be there for you if you need my help.”