26 months ago, on the 10th of March 2013, together with many more friends and colleagues we left the Naxxar Counting Hall. Feeling defeated, wounded and still in shock, one by one we left Naxxar with our head low, still trying to pick our own pieces. On my way back home I started thinking to myself. That drive felt like a trip down memory lane, interjected with sad, sorrowful thoughts of the near future. My thoughts immediately went to the future of our PN. There would have to be a leader election, someone is going to have to pick up the pieces of the party, formulate a plan forward and guide us to the future.
As the days and weeks passed by several names where being mentioned as new potential leaders. One humble individual, amongst others, decided to put his name forward to the party delegates to trust him with the leadership of the party. Dr. Simon Busuttil, campaigned with the slogan “Mil-Gdid PN – Partit tan-Nies”. Dr. Simon Busuttil believed that he was the right man for the job, the right man to rebuild the party and drive it newer heights once again.
Before I personally met Dr. Busuttil for the first time during his leadership campaign I didn’t believe that anyone could rebuild the party in time for the next election. However that all changed within a few days. Dr. Busuttil made his personal mission to meet as many party activists as possible during his campaign and I had the pleasure of meeting him and he explained his vision and his plan. During that short, brief meeting, I could sense his energy, his passion and his drive. He managed to sell me his dream, his belief in the party and his goal. Dr. Busuttil, back in April 2013 convinced me that under his tutelage, the PN will be transformed into a positive energy of ideas that will become an alternative government within a few years. Dr. Busuttil only asked for two things. Trust and loyalty. He asked us to trust him and to follow him on this path. Without thinking about it twice I immediately told him YES. Yes, in front of me I saw our next leader, PN’s next leader, Malta’s next leader.
When Dr. Simon Busuttil became PN’s leader on the 8th of May 2013 he embarked on a long path of change. Changes that are still happening to this very day, however these were changes that has sent shockwaves to the party’s structure. New fora’s were created, new sections were set up. We, the new General Candidates were announced in September 2014, very capable people joined Dr. Busuttil’s team and apart from that Dr. Busuttil lead a formidable opposition to the government. Even ensuring that Muscat had to forcefully sack his favourite Minister after Mallia’s driver was involve in that infamous shooting. As the month’s rolled by, Dr. Busuttil continued to grow in structure. What we always knew and believed at the party’s headquarters was finally coming across to the Maltese public. Dr. Busuttil started to deliver brilliant speeches, one after the other, that continued to build his structure. Dr. Busuttil ensured that his party wasn’t only criticizing the government, however the opposition was continuously proving that it was an alternative government.
In April 2014, half of Malta voted in the Local Council elections. This was a very important test for Dr. Busuttil. This time, the people responded and the PN managed to decrease the margin by 50%. In less than a year after the party had suffered a double-dip in the European Parliament elections, the PN managed to decrease the difference by 50%. This is all down to the vision of Dr. Busuttil, the man that during the difficult period after the 2013 general elections, still believed that he could lead us to new heights.
That leads us to now, the present. Dr. Busuttil today leads a PN that is at its strongest it have been in many years. Some of the best minds on the island are today regularly at the Dar Centrali. Wherever Dr Busuttil goes he’s surrounded by huge crowds that are always eager to hear him talk. Dr. Busuttil, through his honesty, his sincerity, his drive and his passion is helping this party grow day in day out. All of a sudden we have people that never stepped foot at Dar Centrali that are coming in and asking to help us. People can now relate to Dr. Busuttil and they are seeing him as our next Prime Minister.
The next few years are going to be crucial. One thing is for certain, Dr. Busuttil’s star is shining brightly and every day that goes bay, more and more people are becoming even more convinced that this man is the right person to lead Malta after the next general election. Dr. Busuttil has now evolved to become the Alternative Prime Minster of this country.
