PN secretary general puts forward proposal for change in statute

PN secretary general Paul Borg Olivier this morning put forward a proposal before the party's councilors to approve an amendment to the party's statute for the creation a second deputy leadership post.

Addressing the general council, Borg Olivier said that like the Labour Party was now adapting itself as a party in government, likewise the Nationalist Party had to adapt itself to become a stronger party in Opposition.

The decision to create a new deputy leadership post within the party's hierarchy was pushed forward internally by Simon Busuttil, the party's newly-elected leader.

"The PN is now at crossroads and that is why we need two deputy leaders. Circumstances today determine that widen the party's leadership. We must strengthen ourselves internally and as a political party, but we must also see that our parliamentary group is able to fulfill its role in scrutinising government's work," Borg Olivier said.

In explaining the roles of the deputy leader for party affairs and the deputy leader for parliamentary affairs, Borg Olivier said their role shouldn't be bound by one definition in the statute.

"The deputy leader for party affairs will assist our leader in matter relating to the party while the deputy leader for parliamentary affairs will focus on work relating to parliament," he said.

Borg Olivier, and later Nationalist MP Francis Zammit Dimech, said it was important that the amendment was approved today given the party's long road towards regaining the people's trust.

"We cannot afford to wait until we review the whole statute. Our work in preparation for the coming election started the day when Simon Busuttil was elected leader," Borg Olivier insisted.

The outgoing secretary general added that the role of secretary general will not be diminished.

"We have no intention of abolishing this role," he said, seemingly in reply to suggestions that the new deputy leadership post was a vote of no confidence in the secretary general.

A number of MPs and councilors took the floor in expressing their support towards approving the statutory changes which will see the party elect two deputy leaders instead of one.