For years, David Agius needed to use all his powers of persuasion to keep the Nationalist government MPs in line.

He had the job of government whip after the 2008 poll, when the Nationalist Party was elected by the slimmest of majorities: one parliamentary seat. It meant every MP counted.

“Those were not easy times, to say the least,” the now MEP candidate recalls.

“One MP, I remember, arrived only two minutes before a crucial vote. I was sweating profusely, fearing that he would not show up. He then told me he wanted to send a message”.

While the official job description for party whip is to facilitate parliamentary business and ensure MPs attend sittings, the reality of the role goes much further.

“You have to persuade everyone to stay in line and vote with the party,” he says. That takes diplomacy, flexibility and persuasion, in all its forms.

In the 2008 to 2013 legislature, there were several backbench rebels, including Franco Debono, Jesmond Mugliett and Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando.

Debono was notable in his rebellion, publicly expressing disagreement with a ministerial reshuffle of the government in January 2012.

“I tried everything in my power to keep him in line with the government and the goal was reached because we had a general election after five years,” Agius says.

By the end of 2012, Debono voted against the budget, meaning the government was forced to call an election for 2013, although it was the year the government’s term was about to expire anyway.

'An MP forgot about a vote, but law still passed'

With a large parliamentary majority in 2017, Byron Camilleri’s tenure as whip for a Labour government was less precarious.

“We had a majority of seven MPs so that puts your mind at ease,” he says.

Once, for example, an MP forgot about a vote and arrived late but the law still passed.  “Let’s just say I did not have kind words for him”, Camilleri laughs.

Still, the whip’s role, although sometimes unnoticed, is “essential”, he adds, noting that a weak whip can mean parliament’s work slows to a snail’s pace.

“Most of the big reforms happen in parliament so that can have big implications.” 

A whip also needs to coordinate which MPs will speak in parliament during debates, a process that does not always go to plan.

“Once, an MP was lauding a bill but was mentioning reasons that were completely contradictory to what we were proposing.”

Camilleri admits the role helped him mature as a politician and gain the respect of his colleagues.

'Relatively reserved individual'

Naomi Cachia, who, at 29, is of a similar age as Camilleri when he was made government whip, appears to be planning a consensus approach to the role she was appointed to last week.

The lawyer describes herself as a “relatively reserved individual” but does not see that as a drawback and says that her professional background in mediation will help her in her new job.

“I’ve managed to work on my listening and observation skills,” she says. “While I know these characteristics are not particularly associated with your run-of-the-mill politician, I believe they’ll come in handy when coordinating a group of 43 individuals in an often-intense environment.”

Cachia, who has been told she is the first woman to hold the post, said she wants to make sure that every government MP’s strengths are exploited.

Improving the visibility and understanding of parliamentary work is one of her goals during her tenure as government whip.

“Despite being the focal point of our democratic system and the highest national institution, I think most of our elected representatives’ work is often misunderstood or not really appreciated,” she notes.

“This can create a space for a widespread and informed national discussion about how to continue to strengthen our parliamentary system.”

'If the whips agree, we can break all the rules'

One relationship that will be important for her to develop is with the current PN whip, Robert Cutajar.

PN whip Robert Cutajar says the relationship between the government and opposition whips is important to keep parliament running smoothly.

The government and Opposition whips speak to each other daily as they coordinate the House’s agenda and this cooperation is important for parliament’s business to run smoothly, Cutajar says.

“If the whips agree, we can break all the rules of parliament,” he says.

If the two whips do not work together, however, parliament’s work can slow down drastically, he adds. In his years as whip, Cutajar has had Camilleri, Glenn Bedingfield and Andy Ellul as his counterparts.

“We have always managed to cooperate and I’m sure I will be able to work well with Naomi Cachia as well,” he said.

“My advice to her is to be practical in the interest of the people, allow the Opposition to do its job and make sure that the government does not act superior in parliament.”