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Formerly touted as a candidate for the PN top job, Francis Zammit Dimech, turns his eyes on the deputy post and tells councillors to judge him by his
track-record.
Francis Zammit Dimech, 49, today Minister of Tourism in an age where Malta’s cornerstone industry has not enjoyed favourable climates since 9-11, is pledging PN councillors to weigh his candidature on the grounds of his track record, since 1987 as a Nationalist and since 1990 a returning member of the Nationalist cabinet.
“I don’t consider myself as the underdog in this race,” Zammit Dimech says about having to face Tonio Borg, a politician who is believed to hail from Gonzi’s conservative plane, and one who unlike Zammit Dimech, is married with a family: “I suppose marriage might have been an issue in a leadership race, but I do not see this as relevant to this post. In many ways I do consider the PN itself as another family of mine.
“I think this should be a fair race between two persons who have actually grown up within the PN. Tonio and I were both at college and university together, choosing the legal profession, and we have been very active in the Nationalist Party youth movement, also serving as president of that movement. This is not the leadership race. Councillors should consider themselves at liberty to decide according to the objective opinion they form of the candidates.”
Zammit Dimech believes the role of deputy leader in the PN is that of a joint working relationship with the party leader: “I particularly see my role as one which focuses on communicating the party message to a wider audience and reaching out to more people in general, by ensuring our media are operating effectively. I see my role as one in which I can help the party in general, and keep a close and personal contact with the party grassroots.”
I ask him whether he too shares the criticism, as had been expressed by Dalli supporter Edwin Vassallo in the run-up to the leadership election, as to whether the grassroots were truly alienated from Pieta’s central command.
“I will not express myself in the same manner as my colleague. The party is currently passing through a phase of renewal, and that means there is enthusiasm within the party ranks, between activists and councillors, and those who have been participating and attending the different dialogue sessions organised by the contenders for the deputy leadership.
“We don’t only go there to give our own opinion, but to listen and hear suggestions and reply to questions. This is in fact an ideal time for a total renewal that can strengthen the participation of party councillors and other activists in the general structures of the party.”
Zammit Dimech, however, has to contend with the fact he was brandished as one of John Dalli’s main supporters in the run-up to the leadership contest, as well as having members of his secretariat openly canvassing for Dalli. He states that members of his secretariat, as well as others associated to him were also equally canvassing for Lawrence Gonzi’s election. “It is equally true that persons close to me promised to work actively for me had I chosen to contest the leadership. The moment I decided not to, they were actively campaigning for Lawrence Gonzi as leader.
“At the end of the day we are one party. As Lawrence rightly stated himself, this has not been a contest to establish winners or losers. Everyone who gave their direct contribution to this open and democratic process was thanked by Lawrence Gonzi himself, for having served the party well.
“I personally stayed away from any active campaigning, to follow all necessary rules of prudence. Whether the councillors know this, I cannot say. However I have been meeting various councillors who support my bid and who proudly voted for Lawrence Gonzi, and that also includes those people who would have been supportive of me had I contested the leadership.
“Of course, I cannot exclude there will be incorrect perceptions or rumours which are not necessarily correct, but I would like to think the majority of councillors can see through these tactics and form an objective opinion. This is one Nationalist Party, which has always faced its biggest challenges together as a team, as we did in last year’s referendum and general election victory.”
Zammit Dimech says he consulted with Lawrence Gonzi on his wish to run for deputy leader, and Gonzi encouraged him to take the plunge.
“This teamwork will be a winning formula for the party for the next general election. I am stating: look at my track record of 30 years within the party and judge me by my track record.”
Former Minister for Resources and Infrastructure, I ask Zammit Dimech whether he considers his performance on the waste management strategy, which only effectively kicked off when Ninu Zammit took over, as part of the track record he wishes to see councillors judge him by:
“I pride myself of the fact that the waste management plan, which had long been overdue, was tackled expeditiously by me, concretely setting what had to be done for the forthcoming 15 to 20 years, providing an implementation plan to put that into effect. I am pleased my colleague Ninu Zammit is carrying on with that plan. I had in fact been below ground zero, to put it that way, when the groundwork required was laid down, such as the creation of a public company to handle waste management services.”
Running through his honourable achievements, of which include the mobile telephony revolution, the St James Cavalier renaissance and also the Sliema-St Julians promenade, I ask Zammit Dimech whether this week’s announcement of the much-awaited and forever-pipelined Barakka lift project, coincides beautifully with the run-up to his election, as happened with Sliema promenade in the wake of the 2003 general election.
“As far as my track record is concerned, I believe the party councillors are the best judges of that. There is no link with the announcement of the Barakka lift project and the deputy leadership election.
“I have been referring the question of the project to Cabinet and we required a technical document to be put into place before we actually launch a call for tenders. We had already decided about this matter before the leadership contest was announced. I don’t think I should stop my governmental functions just because of my candidature to the leadership.” |
