PM dismisses Alfred Sant's reshuffle call

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi yesterday appeared to rule out the possibility of a Cabinet reshuffle any time soon as he vehemently swept aside opposition leader Alfred Sant's call.

Dr Sant accused government ministers on Saturday of lacking leadership, vision and management, saying the longer Dr Gonzi took to undertake a reshuffle, the more he was acting against the national interest.

"The worst mistake I could ever make is to accept Dr Sant's advice," Dr Gonzi retorted when asked for his reaction. "Not only did he lose the reins of government after 22 months, having raised a record deficit and unemployment rate, but he also had to face the resignation of a deputy leader and his minister of finance.

"I have nothing to learn from Dr Sant," Dr Gonzi said while speaking yesterday standing beside the remains of the aqueducts in Notabile Road, Birkirkara, where he went to oversee pavement works being carried out by the Resources and Infrastructure Ministry and the Birkirkara local council.

The Prime Minister lambasted Dr Sant's assertion, in talking about the problem of illegal immigration, that ultimately the national interest came before human rights.

"Dr Sant's statement unmasks a philosophy that the 1971-1987 Labour government adhered to and which, Dr Sant confirmed today, the Labour Party still has not shed. This is very dangerous."

Turning to the economy, Dr Gonzi said the government's efforts were reaping fruit as the recent gross domestic product statistics showed.

He asked what the economists who had painted a bleak picture of Malta's economic situation had to say once the government had been proved right.

Dr Gonzi reiterated that the government was successfully curbing public expenditure while reducing unemployment.

He was accompanied by his wife Kate and Birkirkara mayor Doris Borg. Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg, Parliamentary Secretary Tonio Fenech and Nationalist backbencher Michael Asciak, all hailing from that electoral district, were present.