Gonzi task force: PM ‘clips’ Gatt’s wings, meets with Arriva directors

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi announced this morning that he has taken over the chairmanship of a public transport task force, which will coordinate the implementation of government policy on the reform.

8 November 2011, 12:00am
by Karl Stagno-Navarra

3 min read

The move may be considered as another blow to transport minister Austin Gatt, who was not mentioned by Gonzi to be part of the task force.

Addressing the media at Castille, the Prime Minister announced a decision by Cabinet to set up a task force that will coordinate government policy and see to the full implementation of the public transport reform.

In a reaction, the Labour shadow minister for transport Joseph Sammut said the Prime Minister did not have the courage to face journalists’ questions. “Families and businesses cannot have much heart in knowing that Gonzi has appointed himself to run public transport. The last time this happened was with MEPA reform, when Gonzi promised he’d fix everything. The reality today is that MEPA is in a worse state today than it ever was under Gonzi’s leadership.

Later in the afternoon, members of the Arriva Malta group - which include Tumas Group chairman George Fenech - met with the prime minister.

The task force includes the Commissioner of Police, parliamentary secretary Chris Said, the Commander of the Armed Forces, and the Transport Malta chairman.

This is the second time that the Prime Minister has clipped Austin Gatt’s wings.

In December 2010, Austin Gatt had Enemalta, Water Services and Air Malta removed from his portfolio, with finance minister Tonio Fenech taking over.

Gatt was not present at this morning’s press conference, while the Prime Minister did not mention the names of those who are to be part of the task force, and didn’t take any questions from journalists.

Last Friday, Austin Gatt’s ministerial office was saved by the Speaker’s casting vote in a no-confidence motion moved by the Opposition, to which Nationalist backbencher Franco Debono abstained.

Last week, Gonzi said that he had refused Gatt’s offer to resign, however the Prime Minister went on to say that he and Cabinet were to shoulder the responsibility for the reform’s shortcomings.

In his announcement to the media this morning, the Prime Minister said that government is determined to see the reform reach its objectives, and ensure it matches the people’s expectations and aspirations.

Meanwhile, in another press statement, Transport Malta said that it has observed significant improvement of service reliability and capacity following the introduction (as of yesterday) of a substantial number of alterations to the original routes and the addition of supplementary capacity. A number of issues persist in some locations.

TM explained that a large series of direct routes between Valletta and all the localities came in operation yesterday, but the real test started today, with commuters having to report to work and business emerging after the weekend.

A significant number of new routes have also started serving various localities directly to Mater Dei Hospital.

The statement added that TM is now strengthening its regulatory role and will be issuing penalties for service breaches in accordance with the ten year contract.

Based on the monitoring carried out by Transport Malta at peak times this morning, there has been an improvement in a number of routes, however some problems still persist on Route 91 in Fgura between 09:30am and 10:15am, on Route 41 in St. Pauls Bay between 09:00am and 10:30am, and on Route 71 in Luqa between 08:25am and 09:15am.

More from Karl Stagno-Navarra

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Quite an improvement, considering that there were only some problems on only three routes and only for practically one hour.

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Not Amused you are right Gonzi is now Jack of all trades but unfortunately he is master of none.

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Is there any responsibility left for Austin Gatt in his ministerial portfolio? A ministry with no portfolio for the great outstanding doer???? If I were him I would call it a day from politics and public life and extradite myself to a far away deserted island in the middle of nowhere. Let's hope that our wannabe Super PM will do a lesser mess out of the Arriva reform than he did out of the MEPA one and the country's finances before that. It has become customary for Gonzi now to knock out his heavy weight ministers to the carpet when he wants to give the false impression that things will only get better. Can't he see that nobody believes the Par Idejn Sodi parody anymore?

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ANOTHER TASK FORCE & CONSULTANTS. How sad for this little island to be burdened with an administration that is so incompetent, corrupt and criminal with monetary policies that resemble the actions of La Cosa Nostra. This abuse of power and mishandling of the treasury is a grave criminal offense and while these Fascists in power feel that no one can stop them, someone ought to have the balls to start a petition and present it to the EU to investigate, how this corrupt society of GONZIPN and its cabals are steering this Maltese nation towards another Greece. The bankruptcy of the Sovreign Debts within the Eurozone can only be resolved, if the EU started litigation against every Euro citizen who illegally stole from the state and others who failed to pay their taxes on every corrupt deal they were involved in.

Luke Camilleri •

Gonzi's vote of confidence ...in himself by himself? He should at least abstain…. In all humility and conflict of interest ! Gonzi's vote of confidence ...in Dr. Austin Gatt after taking his transport portfolio from him? How will Dr. Austin Gatt vote after having his portfolio taken from him< isn't this a VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE in his prowess?

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ARRIVA * KOP-TA-GO * PARAMOUNT * What`s next GONZI BUS SERVICE ????? If GONZI is going to fix the transport in Malta like he fixed Mepa, we are heading for a bigger mess in transport.

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When the wheel comes off, the PM takes over the task...probably to remove the other wheel. Just look at the Mepa reform ( what reform ?). This ploy is an old one and past its due date. The PN PR really must come up with something original this time round. I mean portraying this PM as the 'Jack of all Trades....' simply does not convince anymore

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For a better view of what is happeneing one should view: http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20111108/local/prime-minister.392883

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If " there has been positive improvement " to the transport system when bus routes returned to what they were prior to the so-called reform, then it follows that there was no need whatsoever for the reform, except for the change in buses and drivers ! And for this we taxèayers have been forced to fork out much more than the 57 million euros. Plus another 400,000 euros to those who created all the mess !! Eddy Privitera

Joseph MELI •

No one at all was mentioned to form part of this so-called "task force"-whatever that means-so how does one know that the re-inventor of the wheel ,Austin (Texas) Gatt has been sent to Coventry?

Ian George Walker •

This is purely and simply meant to offer Franco Debono an honourable way out. He will be able to say that this is a vote of no confidence in Austin Gatt, that his complaints have been heard and he will be able to vote for the government with and "easy conscience€ this evening. But noithing will really change.

Joseph Sant •

Err... hello? So was the Prime Minister misleading Parliament when he said last Friday that he had confidence in Minister Gatt and proceeded to vote against the PL motion? How can a person one day say he has confidence in someone and the following day remove him from the picture? The Prime Minister is appearing more ridiculous with every day that passes. . And what exactly is Minister Gatt doing now? With Enemalta, Water Services, Air Malta and now Public Transport removed from his remit what else is left? This is to say nothing of his recent offensive declaration about Smart City. Isn't it by now obvious to the Prime Minister that Minister Gatt is a total liability and his place is in the Cabinet is no longer tenable?

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It seems that the PM has in fact realized that both Minister Gatt and his ministerial associates made a mess out of this reform and is actually taking it into his hands to see it through. Why, I ask, has the PM not acknowledged this mishandling? So when MEPA was failing under minister Pullicino, he vowed to take it under his responsibility, which he did, however ppl in the business will tell you to which level of success this has actually translated. Now that the PM is taking this reform under his patronage, I don't actually know what to expect. Its maybe a way of taking the blame for the shortcomings of his ministers. But rather then taking the blame and making sure the buck stops with him, shouldn't he be responsible enough to say that certain things and members of his government have failed and that he in turn failed to also make these things right?

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Trying to stop the water leaking AFTER the dam has collapsed! how pathetic. If Gonzi manages this new job as well as he's (mis)managed MEPA, don't expect many miracles.