The executive plan proposed by the government for His Majesty’s attention the day before last, is closer to it being a request for confidence than anything else. Understandably, with the Parliament dissolved, the King stands as the only legislative reference and authority for the government.
The plan, is an interpretation of the Letter of Delegation, to be succeeded by a scheduled action plan, in accordance to a timetable, binding of the ministries and departments’ performance, as explicitly mentioned. And the Ministry of Public Sector Development is going to take over this task soon.
Preceding the finalisation of the plan, extensive ministerial work, presided mostly by the Premier, Dr Hani Mulqi, concluded by a small counsel session convened for a whole day inside Mulqi’s office, to place the final touches before referring it to The King.
Debates within the ministerial team, in the prefacing phase, were rich, and entailed hot discussions on some vital issues, like the agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on the financial and structural reforms, which is designed to lower budget deficits, increase GDP growth rates, and lower indebtedness gradually. Officially, the government announced signing the accord within weeks.
The government need not say, but obviously, the scheduled agenda requires years of implementation, not four months. And the plan, given entailed details on upcoming tasks, indicates that Mulqi will probably be reinstated to form the next government, should they prove adequate capacities to undertake the responsibilities of the coming phase.
That, however, in bound by two main conditions; retaining the confidence of The King, as He monitors the government’s performances, one. Two, the extent to which the government is going to stick to executing the plan and seeing the Letter of Designation through; in this discourse, it is the confidence of the people, the government needs to acquire.
Subsequently, the upcoming challenge faces the Prime Minister, rather than the ministerial team. Spectators think Mulqi is going to fight ferociously to meet these two conditions over the next few months. This requires a great deal of practicality and dynamicity on his part.
Yet, the challenge to come is comprised in the ability to build bridges with the influential parties in the State, and retain their support; such a factor was determinant to the continuation of Dr Abdullah Nsoor’s government, before, and the suspension of previous governments that did not play by the rules.
Beforehand, Mulqi needs to facilitate homogeneity among his crew, and mediate between ministers of the former and the new government; if synergy can be attain, it would reflect greatly on the scale of achievement.
For the short run, the government needs to initiate practical debates with the parties involved in the executive sections of the plan, from different sectors; without the support of economists, businessmen, and a strong civil society, the plan will not work.
With minor amendments, and perhaps some additions and omissions, Mulqi’s plan could be transformed, in a few months, to a project statement for the Parliament’s confidence.
