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James Debono
Ministers facing daunting problems in the economic and tourism spheres have fared badly in MaltaToday’s second ‘Rating the Minister’ survey.
On the other hand, high-profile ministers engaged in the less controversial and highly visible arenas of social policy and education have rated highly.
Francis Zammit Dimech, the minister taking the brunt for the tough choices facing the cabinet on low cost airlines, emerges as the minister with the lowest approval rating.
As minister for tourism and culture, Zammit Dimech has seen his approval rating slipping from 49 per cent last September to just 20 per cent in July – a decline of 28.6 percentage points in 10 months. For the past months Zammit Dimech was on the receiving end of criticism by leading hoteliers f or not delivering on pre-established targets on tourist arrivals.
The other ministers registering massive drops in popularity since 2005 are Jesmond Mugliett, Tonio Borg, Ninu Zammit and George Pullicino. For the second consecutive time, the outspoken Minister for the Family and Social Solidarity has struck a chord with the electorate, getting a top approval rating of 58.1 per cent.
Cristina has not refrained from speaking her mind on controversial issues. She has struck a chord by calling for the resignation of Malta Football Association president Joe Mifsud for mishandling the case of a paedophile groundsman and for calling for tougher laws against alcohol abuse.
Yet Cristina has also seen her popularity slip by 6.2 percentage points from the 64 per cent approval rating in September.
Over the past months, Cristina has been the target of racist verbal abuse for promoting open centres for immigrants.
Cristina has faced the brunt of landowners and the Green Party who constantly remind her on failing to honor commitments on rent reform. Cristina has always insisted that rent reform is one of her deliverables but the draft White Paper on rent reform presented to cabinet in January has still to see light of the day.
Cristina has also clamped down on social benefit fraud. The government saved a total of Lm526,105 last year by clamping down on benefit fraud, three times the amount saved in 2004.
Enjoying the limelight
Not surprisingly, highly visible ministers involved in the softer, social field arena fare much better than ministers facing the brunt of tougher economic choices. Education Minister Louis Galea, best known for publishing countless documents and appointing innumerable committees and foundations, emerges as the second most popular minister with his rating dropping by a mere 0.6 per cent.
Although he faced the wrath of the Malta Union of Teachers for his handling of cases of violence against teachers his popularity emerges unscathed. The introduction of educational clusters, which seek to reduce the segregation between students attending area secondary schools and junior lyceums, seems to have gone well with the electorate.
Health Minister Louis Deguara, who has been rescued by Lawrence Gonzi and Tonio Fenech who are taking the full brunt of the Mater Dei hospital saga, sees his rating dropping by only 1.5 per cent.
Giovanna Debono, more a symbol of Gozitan autonomy as decisions affecting the sister island are taken by other ministers, has seen her popularity slip by 6.3 per cent. Yet she has retained her position in the top three.
Rocked by scandal
Riding high on massive investment in roads through EU and Italian protocol funds, Jesmond Mugliett was the second most popular in September. Yet his popularity has been severely dented by a corruption scandal involving driving examiners, one of which was a canvasser of the minister. Over the past 10 months the minister’s popularity has slipped by 17.4 per cent.
Foreign Minister Michael Frendo has also enjoyed the negative limelight after pirated Eurovision CDs were distributed in an activity organised by the minister. His popularity has slipped by 5.6 per cent. In the last months Frendo has taken a more visible role in soliciting the European Union to shoulder the immigration burden.
On the hot seat
Deputy Prime Minister Tonio Borg, whose portfolio includes the immigration issue, has lost 17 points since last year.
Spectacular mass escapes from detention centres have exposed the faults of Malta’s detention policy for which Tonio Borg is ultimately responsible. Although his hawkish views on immigration strike a chord with a part of the electorate, Borg’s inability to manage a system he wholeheartedly defends could have dented his popularity.
Ministers taking the brunt for tough decisions affecting tourism, the economy and the environment have slipped down in the approval ratings.
One of the ministers bruised by highly controversial Cabinet decisions is George Pullicino, who has seen his popularity slip by 11 per cent. The decision to open the floodgates of development by extending development zones has attracted the vociferous criticism of all environmental organisations. Ironically Pullicino’s controversial decision has injected a new lease of life in civil society, with the largest ever environmental protest taking place last month.
Austin Gatt, the least popular minister in September, has climbed to the ninth place despite scoring three points less. Gatt’s star has been on the ascendancy since the Smart City investment was announced even if he still receives the full brunt of the unpopular electricity surcharge. Gatt’s image as a macho decision-maker in a style reminiscent of Dom Mintoff has still not struck a chord with the electorate.
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, in his role as finance minister, is the third least popular minister, seeing his approval rating slip by 7 per cent. Despite tackling the country’s deficit problem, Gonzi has still to convince the electorate that an economic turnaround is under way.
Invisible Ministers
Resources Minister Ninu Zammit and Competitiveness and Communications Minister Censu Galea are the least known ministers, with 30 per cent of respondents being unable to even judge the performance of the two ministers with the least visible portfolios.
Unsurprisingly Ninu Zammit, whose obscure ministry is responsible for resources, oil exploration and public works, remains relatively unknown and has seen his popularity slip by 12 per cent. Zammit has also enjoyed the negative limelight after he was exposed by the Labour media as one of the beneficiaries of the extension of building zones. The Labour media also singled out Zammit after a Lm1,000 fine his brother had to pay for illegal dumping was revoked.
Censu Galea, untainted by any scandal, has also seen his popularity slip by 7 per cent. The minister is currently facing the daunting task of reforming the ports’ labyrinthine structures. But the promised 5 per cent reduction in port costs has still to materialise and remains a far cry from the much acclaimed 25 per cent commitment Galea made last year.
Methodology
The survey was held between Monday 3 July and Wednesday 5 July. 503 respondents were randomly selected from the telephone directory. 301 respondents accepted to be interviewed. Respondents were asked to give a positive or a negative rating on the performance of all ministers. The results were subsequently weighed to reflect the age and sex distribution structure of the population.
Link:
www.maltatoday.com.mt/2005/10/02/top_story.html
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