Cabinet reshuffle | Debono calls Gonzi 'arrogant', demands resignation [LISTEN]

Franco Debono's comments to One News today calling for the Prime Minister's resignation.

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Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi has coupled his cabinet reshuffle today with the removal of the parliamentary honorarium for ministers, clearing the deck of an unpopular decision that has haunted his government since re-election in 2008.

BUt his reshuffle was met with disdain by Nationalist backbencher Franco Debono (see audio) who has called for the Prime Minister's resignation and to call for early elections, claiming the country had been turned into an oligarchy.

Gonzi told journalists at a press conference he called at 2pm, that his second major decision of the day was to reverse the May 2008 decision to pay ministers a higher, €26,000 parliamentary honorarium over and above their salaries. "We know that 2012 is going to be year of challenges for us and the rest of Europe. Countries big and small must prepare for the difficult twelve months ahead," the prime minister said.

"We can take heart from our low unemployment figures and record tourism, but the financial turmoil facing our neighbouring countries is something we cannot ignore."

Gonzi said that as from 1 January, in an exercise to cut ministerial spending and set an example, ministers will lose the honorarium they received in 2008.

The decision had been an unpopular one: it was never officially announced, and first revealed by MaltaToday in November 2008. But the matter turned into a crisis for Gonzi in 2010, when Labour leader Joseph Muscat accused the prime minister of paying himself a double salary by increasing ministerial salaries and paying ministers a higher parliamentary honorarium than other backbenchers.

Gonzi's expected cabinet reshuffle however has left backbencher Franco Debono less than pleased about the promotion of Gonzi's parliamentary secretaries to ministers.

Franco Debono told One News that Gonzi must call a general election in March 2012. He added that he would vote against the government if a vote of confidence is taken in parliament.

This afternoon Debono called on Lawrence Gonzi to resign. He said the decisions announced today confirmed the government's mistakes over the past four years. 

Speaking to The Times, Debono said he had no confidence in the Prime Minister and said Gonzi is not a "god". He added that he had "no confidence in the government whatsoever."

In comments to MaltaToday, Debono said the reshuffle was "within the ruling clique" of Gonzi's government.

Although saying he was pleased with the split of the ministry for justice and home affairs, which has come largely upon his demands, Debono was disdainful of the reshuffle itself. "If this is the ruling clique, I won't support government. I want to live in a democracy, not an oligarchy," he told MaltaToday.

Asked what he meant by not supporting the government, Debono said: "They can deal with the March elections themselves," he said referring to the PN's campaign for the forthcoming local council elections.

Debono said he never expected to be made justice minister, but noted that he had been responsible for the eventual policy change. "The people have me to thank, seeing how I had to go through all that I passed from," the backbencher said of the vicissitudes leading up to the cabinet reshuffle.

Gonzi has split the justice and home affairs portfolio held by Carm Mifsud Bonnici since 2008. Mifsud Bonnici will be home affairs minister, and take local councils and become Leader of the House - instead of deputy prime minister Tonio Borg.

Chris Said has been made minister of justice and social policy, the latter responsibility taken from Minister Dolores Cristina's family affairs portfolio. Cristina will now be minister for education.

Mario De Marco is promoted from parliamentary secretary to minister for tourism, environment and culture, as is Jason Azzopardi from parliamentary secretary to minister for small busness, lands, consumers and competition.