Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1222482
9 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 18 MARCH 2020 NEWS ANALYSIS coronavirus role in the government after his lead- ership hopes were frustrated just a few weeks ago. He had a crucial role in anchoring the government's health response in sound scientific opinion, coming across in press conferences as a safe pair of hands. Being himself a paediatrician with a valuable track record in the health sector, he also gives legitimacy to the government's decisions and has thus been a valuable asset for Abela. He has also risen above petty politics, showing a sense of collegiality and loy- alty towards the new PM in a time of national emergency. The crisis has con- firmed that Fearne remains an impor- tant peg in the labour leadership. Charmaine Gauci The trusted face of public healthcare Charmaine Gauci, the superintendent for public health, has distinguished her- self as the reassuring face of Malta's front-line health defence. Her assertive and calm delivery gave the country an institutional reference point, something which was lacking in other times of crisis like the one ushered by the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia. In her daily briefings she also had a key role in ad- dressing public concerns and creating a firewall against misinformation and con- spiracy theories. Her non-political role as a public health professional is a breath of fresh air for a country where politicians appropriate most of the airtime. Gauci has also distin- guished herself for confidently answering questions from the media in a profession- al way, acting as a trailblazer for other public officials in other sectors. Adrian Delia The risk of politicising the issue PN leader Adrian Delia has walked on a tight-rope between offering his cooper- ation and scoring partisan points. While his calls for greater involvement of the Opposition in the national response to the crisis are justified, he has also jumped the gun by advocating an immediate lock- down without presenting a strong scien- tific justification. He has also been too keen in endorsing demands by business lobbies, profession- al bodies and trade unions, without pre- senting a coherent plan and appearing contradictory. One valid criticism by Delia is that the privatisation of public hospitals under Muscat has deprived the country of val- uable bed space in St Luke's Hospital to meet an emergency. The greatest risk for Delia is that of be- ing perceived as someone who is politicis- ing the crisis for political gain, something which is unforgivable in a time of crisis. At the same time he has not been so vocal in voicing the concerns of invisible mi- norities like precarious workers who are facing the axe. Delia also lacks a strong and vocal health spokesperson with Ste- phen Spiteri lacking in stature in compar- ison to Chris Fearne. One way to address these shortcomings would be for Delia to go into listening mode, meeting stakeholders and voicing their concerns in a more coherent way, without jumping the gun. The appoint- ment of a 'team' including both MPs and experts would be a step in the right direction for an opposition, which is still struggling to find a balance between con- structive criticism and extending a hand of cooperation. Clockwise, from left: Prime Minister Robert Abela, Deputy PM and health minister Chris Fearne, Opposition leader Adrian Delia and Charmaine Gauci, Superintendent for Public Health