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Muscat says his pick for Chief of Staff is bestman for job

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat says his Chief of Staff, KeithSchembri was instrumental in Labour’s revolution and willstrive to do same for government.

Elections 2013 Tuesday 12 March 2013 - 00:26Share this

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Joseph Muscat saluting the crowds from his new office at Castille. (PhotoJames Galea/MediaToday)

Nestor Laiviera

Newly elected Prime

Minister Joseph Muscat

said that his decision to

choose life-long friend and

Labour Party chief

strategist Keith Schembri as

his Chief of Staff at Castille

was based on his right hand

man's successful

transformation of the party.

Speaking on TVM programme 'Close Up', Labour Prime Minister Joseph

Muscat talked about his first three appointments as Prime Minister and

announced that his Cabinet would be sworn-in on Wednesday.

Speaking about the appointment of Keith Schembri as his Chief of Staff,

Muscat said that this represents "a change of culture for the government."

"We will be restructuring how the secretariat [of the Prime Minister] works.

It will be more business oriented and utilise concepts such as Key

Performance Indicators," which Muscat said will establish what sort of

performance government departments achieve, how to communicate, and

what sort of transparency they would feature.

He noted that Schembri was instrumental to the Labour campaign, saying

that it was a concept that he and Muscat "conceived together".

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3 Comments

Report PostPOSTED BY: Fed Up — 12/03/2013 19:06:01

Finally a person at Castille that does not suffer jelousy from the success of the

self employed and somone that does not put spokes in the wheel to feel

important! Well done

Report PostPOSTED BY: still worried — 12/03/2013 13:26:11

My opinion.Work smarter,not harder."Finances come and go,and in this

economy,any one can go bust."

"I feel he is the best man who can introduce and spread this concept within

a Labour administration," he said.

Pressed about Schembri's business interests, and whether this created a

conflict of interest, Muscat said that "I deem the fact that someone comes

from a business background as an advantage."

He reiterated that a Labour government wants to ensure that the business

sector is given its due value and importance. "Entrepreneurs should be

allies, not some vague enemy."

"Thanks to him, we will be able to implement a new culture of delivery," he

said. "Our campaign was one of the best in the country, but we were also

able to restructure the party completely."

Muscat also said that Schembri is "divesting himself from all commercial

and private interests," adding that "to the best of my knowledge, he does not

own any companies which tender with the government."

Schembri, 38, is a director of his family business Kasco, paper merchants

who have extended their group of companies into the graphic art industry,

waste recycling, foodstuffs, and other industrial supplies.

Muscat also said that he is not approaching government with a mind of

having a situation which even leads to perceptions of some hidden powers

operating from behind the scenes.

He said that he had discussed the role with Schembri, and his righgt hand

man had shown an interest in taking it up.

"I plan to use the resources I have available, and I will be making sure that

the role is open to all scrutiny," he added.

He also reiterated that Schembri's appointment is part of "a new

government which is more business friendly, which is willing to work with

employers to create employment, and which is willing to change its own

culture."

"Government cannot be associated with inefficiency and this government

will be one that will deliver."

Muscat also said that the new Cabinet line-up would be announced on

Wednesday, and that it would be slightly larger than the previous one so

that the ministers could focus more, and to ensure that some sectors were

not lost in mega-ministries, as had happened in the outgoing

administration.

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Report PostPOSTED BY: AFarrugia — 12/03/2013 06:05:07

If Keith S can at least achieve 50% of what he achieved for his business than I

want him there for another 20 years - Prosit

Muscat says his pick for Chief of Staff is best man for job - maltatoday... http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/en/newsdetails/news/elections2013/Mu...

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