Addressing a local council election campaign event in Gzira, Opposition leader Joseph Muscat said that they were there to spread a message to all Labour Party supporters that the local council elections in March were not to be taken lightly.

“It will be a difficult time for our party because of the way events have unfolded, especially following the dissolution of the Sliema local council. The scales have tipped against the PL and it will be more difficult to win a majority,” Muscat said.

He explained that past experience in the Gzira locality was evidence that just a few votes can tip the scales either way and urged residents to vote for PL candidates.

“I urge all residents to vote for PL candidates with conviction and determination because anything can happen. The Sliema local council was faced with problems presented by the central government especially in the last term, but the councillors did a lot of good, especially in infrastructural development,” Muscat said.

Muscat said the local council managed to bring all stakeholders together to improve facilities in the area but there was still much work to be done.

“A new government will be committed to improvement and finding solutions for the great flooding problem in Msida and Gzira. Work will also be done to improve housing estates in the area because residents here are not third class citizens. We want to improve the quality of life for all as equals,” Muscat said.

The opposition leader said that candidates were male and female, both young and old, and made a personal guarantee that the work done by PL candidates will be for the best.

“The work done by PL councillors will about quality, not just quantity. Every political party faces the difficulty of encouraging women to participate in politics but we also have female candidates.

“Women automatically help to bring balance and responsible leadership in governing bodies. I am proud to say, with conviction that we will be working toward having the most feminist party,” Muscat said.

Paying his respects to former Prime Minister Dom Mintoff, Muscat said he was comforted by latest news from family members and doctors who said that his condition was improving

“I hope this improvement will continue to happen and Dom Mintoff will feel better soon. Our thoughts are also with Gzira Labour councillor Joe Zammit and with his family through this difficult time as he is still in a critical state,” Muscat said.

Referring to the current political situation, Muscat said the government and country was in a situation of uncertainty and crisis.

“We could do like GonziPN and play democratic games during upcoming local council elections like the Nationalists in Marsa and Zejtun by withdrawing candidates to cancel elections from occurring and gaining a majority. We can play these games, but we don’t play games, we respect the people,” Muscat said.

Muscat said that the Nationalist Party was trying to convince people that government was “normal” and they would “get used to the passing of a loved one”.

“We shouldn’t have to get used to this. It is not normal! The country is in crisis and we need solid leadership not a Prime Minister who is clutching to power and ignoring the will of the people. He is just delaying time and is creating more problems by issuing statements in a state of panic in an attempt to solve problems too late,” Muscat said.

Referring to recent law amendments, Muscat said that it should not have taken a violent attack on homosexual persons for the law to be amended but that “it should have already been done to prevent the incident from happening in the first place”.

“The Maltese and Gozitan people are fully aware of the games being played by GonziPN and they will no longer put up with it. We have a Prime Minister who goes against civil rights,” Muscat said.

Discussing the ACTA agreement signed, Muscat said that Gonzi was repeating the mistake made during the divorce referendum and was going against popular choice.

“Following yesterday’s protest, I was expecting the Prime Minister to admit he made a mistake, but instead, Gonzi said the ACTA will remain even though it is clear the people do not want it. Like he did during the divorce referendum, Gonzi is saying he is not hearing the people, or maybe he is listening but just ignoring the people,” Muscat said.  

Should ACTA remain unchanged, Muscat said that the opposition will continue to stand against it in parliament and will do its utmost to refrain it from passing.

“If the agreement stays at is, our PL MEPs will vote against it. We were against it long before it hit the headlines and the protests. And we continue to stand against it in Maltese parliament,” Muscat said.

Muscat said that Gonzi was trying to sell the crisis in the government as normality, where debates begun but were never concluded.

“Gonzi has a choice to make between two paths. To either gain a majority in parliament by allowing debates and voting to be consistent and continuous without delay in order to continue with his leadership. Otherwise, should majority be lost, the only honourable situation would be to choose to call a general election to guarantee stability,” Muscat said.

Speaking about the debate between Gonzi and himself, Muscat said the Prime Minister was attempting to defend the bureaucracy within the government.

“The first step to solve a problem is to acknowledge there is one and not be in denial. Instead I saw a Prime Minster who was clutching to power. He was instead defending bureaucracy which has taken over our country and confusing it with transparency,” Muscat said.

Discussing the stipend system, Muscat said that prior to the appointment of the University Rector by GonziPN, the rector had declared that the stipend system was unsustainable.

“The question is whether GonziPN appointed a rector who does not agree with its own policy regarding stipends. GonziPN is trying to place responsibility on someone else because the last Prime Minister to touch stipends was Gonzi himself,” Muscat said.

Referring to how GonziPN reduced stipend amounts to Lm40 from Lm60 a month in October 2005, Muscat said that the Prime Ministers reply to criticism was that it was all done as part of ‘fine-tuning’.

“The same ‘fine-tuning’ was also done in the MPs wages as well as the electricity and water bills. I guarantee that if voted into office, a new Labour government will keep stipends and continue to strengthen them,” Muscat claimed. 

Muscat said this bureaucracy was the main problem in the labour market because the self-employed were struggling to cut red tape and succeed while the private sector was avoiding investing further in the Maltese labour market due to expenses.

“A new government will work with the self-employed, big or small, because we are the Labour Party and we are there to strengthen the labour market. The self-employed are the government’s client and not the other way around. We need to lay out a red carpet for the self-employed because they are crucial to our economy and can’t continue wasting time with red tape,” Muscat said.

“It is for this reason, when we take everything into consideration, that we need change in our country. Instead of clutching to power, the Prime Minister has to assume responsibility. I am convinced that when history is written about this time, it will show that the PL was on the good side,” Muscat said.

Muscat also said that the first appointment for change is due on 10 March which will show a sign for new leadership ideas within localities.

“These elections will be very difficult for the PL. It  is pointless simply talking about change, we have to act. People have to vote to make themselves heard if they want change. Voting for PL candidates will guarantee prudent leadership, progression and stability in our country,” Muscat said.