Jason Micallef says Labour should bring back Secretary General role: ‘CEO post never made sense’

Labour should bring back the Secretary General post as part of wider reform needed by the party, Jason Micallef who held the post between 2003 and 2009 said on Sunday.

“Today, more than ever, it is clear that the Labour Party is needs the position of Secretary-General. Not only because this is a natural post in every political party in the world, but also because the position of CEO no longer makes sense,” he said on Facebook.

The Secretary General post had been removed from Labour in 2010 under former leader Joseph Muscat, and had been replaced with a non-elected CEO role.

With Labour expected to elect at least one new deputy leader in the coming months, following the resignation of Daniel Micallef after the MEP election earlier this year, Micallef said the party needs wide reform to remain relevant with the times.

“The last significant renewal in the PL occurred after the 2008 election, 16 years ago, when the PL narrowly lost that general election,” Micallef said on Sunday.

He said “today more than ever”, the party is feeling the impact of not having a secretary general, saying the role of CEO “no longer makes sense.” MP Randolph De Battista currently holds the post.

“It [the CEO post] has always brought unnecessary conflicts within the Party. The role of Secretary-General in every political party is one of intimate work at the roots and in all the internal structures of the Party,” Micallef said.

He went on to say that internal discontent has been a long time coming, and have become general rule.

“The same goes for the lack of cultural activities for which the Labour Party was so well known, these have also disappeared. When these leave, the enthusiasm of the people leaves with them. Therefore, the time has come again to reintroduce the position of Secretary General,” he said.

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He said the party’s renewal must be “courageous, and with a vision for the next five years and beyond.”

“The worst thing that can happen to the Labour Party right now is cosmetic renewal. That would not be in the interest of the party,” he said. “The important decisions are needed now.”

Following the MEP election, there had been growing speculation and rumour that De Battista would be resigning from the post, but he had said that he intends to stay on.

Seemingly addressing internal disgruntlement about him and the rest of the party's administration, de Battista said that his role is to see that the party's finances are managed well.

His comments had come after a meeting between the Labour Party’s executive and parliamentary group. 

In what was described as a tense meeting, Abela blasted his party’s administration for being out of touch with members and committees.