EDITORIAL | Wednesday, 29 August 2007

Beefing up the MCESD

The proposal by Alfred Sant to give the head of the MCESD a seat in the Cabinet of Ministers has sparked off a healthy debate, which is of interest to the business community. This proposal should be analysed rationally. The setting up of a forum, whereby all constituted bodies can freely discuss matters of national economic and social importance, has been a positive development, and any further proposals which could strengthen this body should be encouraged.
By placing the chairman within Cabinet, one will certainly lend a stronger voice to the organisation. Such a move does, however, carry far-reaching consequences, amongst which is the issue of the accountability of non-elected persons. Besides, which serves the national interest more: that such a body be closer, or further removed, from the seat of power?
Ideally, such a body should be kept at an arm’s length from the government, and as a consequence maintain the necessary elbow room to manoeuvre, suggest and propose changes. It should remain a consultative body; failing which, if dominated by government, it risks becoming just another rubber stamp for the administration of the day. The presence of the chairman in Cabinet risks making the body another voice of government as it is most unlikely that a non-elected person will have sufficient clout to influence and dictate policy which flies in the face of the electoral pressures of any government.
Ideally, this chairman would push a reforming agenda. Can you just imagine the response in Cabinet once he or she suggests the removal of half-days in summer, the introduction of more flexible laws governing the hiring and firing of personnel in the private and especially public sectors, or the acceptance of preferential wage scales for doctors or nurses? Rest assured that Cabinet will not listen to such suggestions and the role of the chairman will be reduced to that of a frustrated attendant.
The answer does not lie in a Cabinet post, but in beefing up the organisation with more qualified personnel and with papers professionally produced by the respective bodies, which are passed over for government’s approval.
The final destination of the MCESD should remain the social pact, which will allow the country to introduce a reform plan in earnest. A social pact with a clear commitment from all interested parties to drive a reform project will make the country more competitive and place it in a better position to take advantage of all the benefits of our European membership. It worked wonders in Ireland. There is little reason to believe it will not work here too.

Not ‘politick’

At face value there is nothing wrong with the secretary general of a political party cruising with a prominent businessman. After all, owners of yachts are free to choose their guests, as are persons – private or public – free to accept the invitation.
In accepting this particular invitation, however, we believe that Joe Saliba made no favours either to himself or to the political party of which he is general secretary. It is simply not ‘politick’. It flies in the face of all acceptable norms of political correctness for a number of reasons.
Nazarrenu Vassallo is no ordinary businessman; his credentials go far beyond once being a local councillor representing the Nationalist party. He is a person who tenders for and wins many government contracts in various sectors, including the medical health and waste sector. There is enough suspicion that contractors do finance political parties to have made Joe Saliba exercise caution before accepting this invitation. The guest on board is no ordinary mortal, but the political manager of a party which happens to be in government. Accordingly, the businessman was not inviting a private individual on his yacht, but a public person with political clout. The invitation should never have been made, let alone accepted. The defensive stance of the secretary general – namely, that he is part of a political party and not government - beggars belief. He is a public figure and the most senior representative of a party, which on countless occasions has preached the value of ethics and correctness in politics. His acceptance of the invitation has considerably weakened his party.
This incident reveals a cosy relationship between business and politics, which does not augur well for the development of democracy in our country. The only redeeming factor in this jaunt was that both gentlemen had the decency to turn back home and cut short their holiday once the news broke.
There are many lessons to be learnt. Politicians should be more cautious when receiving invitations. If they really believe nothing is wrong, than they should announce their intentions in advance in full transparency, and face the political fall-out immediately.