'This is a different government from the one back in January' – Robert Abela

Prime Minister hits out at Nationalist Party for only carrying out ‘cosmetic changes’ • Robert Abela says women and youths should be at the helm of Labour Party’s decision-making process  

Prime Minister Robert Abela
Prime Minister Robert Abela

Prime Minister Robert Abela has said that the government will continue to reform itself in a bid to keep up with the times.

Speaking during a Labour event held in Isla, Abela said that the past eight months have shown how government has not been afraid to change.

The labour leader said that this administration, opposed to previous governments in Malta’s political history, has fared better during the party’s second legislature at the helm of the country’s leadership.

“We had always seen governments fare worse during their second legislature – we reversed that trend,” Abela said.

The PM said in the span of the last eight months, the Labour party elected a new president, a new deputy leader and a new leader.

He also said that government has introduced younger MPs and new faces on its benches.

“This is still the beginning of a reformatory process within the party, but what is clear is that this is a new government from the one back in January,” he stated.

Abela insisted that the party will continue to reinvent itself with the introduction of more young people and women at the centre of its decision-making process.

“I don’t want to see women and youths working on the periphery, I want active participation, I want candidatures,” he said.

He went on to say that the party’s vision is that of improving people’s way of life, mentioning collective agreement drawn up by government as an example of such work.

He also announced that a deal for a new collective agreement has been struck for army personnel.  Details, he said, will be announced later this week.

“That is why we are the workers’ movement,” he said.

Unemployment

Abela said that recent statistics have shown that unemployment has dropped to 3,094.

He compared statistics with those of the last Nationalist administration.

“Under a Gonzi administration we had 5,900 unemployed. Nearly double the rate we have now, and we managed to do it during a pandemic, when one-third of our economy has been shut down,” he stated.

Vaccine

Speaking on the COVID-19 pandemic, Abela said that recent communication with the European Commission has revealed that the announcement of a new vaccine is getting close.

“The commission has told us it will be available soon, and at a high success rate. The light at the of the tunnel is glowing brighter,” Abela told listeners.

He did insist that until the vaccine is made available, people must remain cautious.

“Let us not drag back the important work done by front liners in the last few months,” he said.

He also echoed previous statements that through agreements Malta will be among the first to receive a supply of vaccines.

Nationalist Party reforms only cosmetic changes

The PM hit out at the opposition for only carrying out “cosmetic reforms”.

“The opposition leader says he wants to put civil rights at the top of the party’s agenda. How can someone who campaigned against divorce, be a champion for civil rights?” the PM said.

Abela said Bernard Grech doesn’t believe in a second chance for broken families.

“On the other hand, we want to further streamline divorce legislation, because as it stands, there are still too many hurdles,” he stated.