The Labour Party Executive unanimously votes to scrap the post of general secretary from its statute: consolidating Joseph Muscat’s power-base, and leaving the party President and Deputy Leader for Party Affairs to share the spoils
Joseph Muscat has taken steps to abolish the post of secretary-general in the Partit Laburista, in a development which will be made public today.
The motion, that will be presented to the forthcoming party conference but which PL sources claim has already been unanimously approved by the party executive, will give sweeping powers to the President and the deputy leader for party affairs.
The two posts are currently occupied by lawyers Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi and Toni Abela. Zrinzo Azzopardi also doubles up as ‘acting secretary-general’, after previous incumbent Jason Micallef was elbowed out of the position by Joseph Muscat.
The motion will effectively strip the PL of the position of secretary-general, in complete contrast with all political formations in Malta and abroad. It also reveals Joseph Muscat’s piecemeal approach to reforming the party.
A PL spokesman yesterday told MaltaToday that the motion is part of an ongoing gradual reform, and has been many months in coming; but MaltaToday was informed by two angry insiders that Joseph Muscat is doing everything in his power to remove the party’s democratic underpinning, and instead give full powers to unelected officials.
They were referring mainly to James Piscopo: a Muscat acolyte and friend who had been appointed to take over many of the responsibilities of a secretary-general. This had in fact led to a clash with Jason Micallef, who was routed from the post of secretary-general and instead appointed to the largely meaningless role of Super One as chairman.
Micallef has since indicated that he may contest the next general election.
The decision to remove the post of secretary-general will require sanctioning from the General Conference; but in the present climate, where Joseph Muscat has more control over party delegates, it is highly unlikely that he will encounter any significant opposition.
Nonetheless the motion in itself continues to confirm that Muscat is losing no time to set his stamp on the party structures, to ensure that the next general election campaign will be as smooth as possible.
On the other hand, the move is certain to fortify Muscat’s critics within the party, who argue that in such a position of unrivalled power the young 35-year-old would be intolerant of any form of dissent or criticism.
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