Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1514242
6 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 10 JANUARY 2024 ANALYSIS 1. Abela's timing is an admission that something was needed to galvanise his government and arrest Labour's decline before crucial mid-terms. In politics timing is a crucial factor. In- stead of being overtaken by events, Ab- ela wanted to start the year with a bang, surprising everyone including his own ministers, with a reshuffle announced in the feast of the Epiphany just before people started removing their Christ- mas decorations. The Cabinet changes were announced six months before local and MEP elections, which could either confirm Labour's dominance or signal the start of a long decline which Abela seems keen on avoiding at all costs. By reshuffling his cards now, Abela seized the opportunity of setting the country's political agenda and address head on the perception that his government is increasingly showing signs of lethargy amidst signs that a segment of Labour voters is tempted to blow a raspberry by not voting. To do so he addressed two categories of voters: traditional Labour voters in deep red territory by strength- ening the Cabinet representation from the Second District through Glenn Bedingfield's appointment as a junior minister; and middle of the road voters frustrated by traffic. 2. By removing Aaron Farrugia from his cabinet, Abela has shown he can be ruthless in his decisions. Had Abela not removed transport and infrastructure minister Aaron Farrugia, the reshuffle would have passed as a mi- nor exercise in musical chairs, mostly triggered by Chris Fearne being kicked upstairs to the European Commission. Abela could have softened the blow by transferring Farrugia to another role in the Cabinet. This was exactly what Abela did to Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi who was given the Lands portfolio af- ter losing planning and construction reform. Instead, Abela deliberately chose to humiliate Farrugia - who may have been gaffe prone but was never ac- cused of any serious impropriety - by singling him out as the only minister to be axed. This surely added drama to the reshuffle. When asked, Abela insist- ed that Farrugia was not axed because he was bad in his job but because this was part of a process of "regeneration". This suggests Farrugia has little left to contribute to this regeneration pro- cess unless Abela has something else in mind to keep the former minister on board. Abela may also be sending a message that he expects immediate ac- tion on one of the top concerns of the public - traffic. The question is; what can Bonett do differently than Farrugia in this role? Moreover, Malta's trans- port woes which stem from a failure to invest in a mass public transportation system in the wake of the increase in population, are not directly attributable to the actions of a single minister. It is also doubtful whether the government will contemplate any tough but neces- sary decisions like introducing parking meters and scaling down subsidies for petrol, before midterm elections. But as a charismatic newcomer, Bonett may benefit from the good will of the public, at least in his honeymoon period. 3. Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri is now responsible for planning. The question is will he be listening to Gozitan Labour mayors like Paul Buttigieg who are up in arms against over development? Clint Camilleri is not known for his green credentials. But as a district strongman who feels the pulse of con- stituents, he cannot ignore the disfig- A bang before the mid-terms: A reshuff le triggered by Chris Fearne's expected nomination as European Commissioner was imminent after June. But Robert Abela chose not to wait and instead set the tune for a challenging year. JAMES DEBONO analyses the timing and the reverberations of the Prime Minister's choices. Aaron Farrugia Clint Camilleri Robert Abela