PN dismiss minister's criticism of pre-budget document as 'comedy of errors'

Nationalist Party rubbishes Edward Scicluna's criticism of pre-budget document, insists all social partners 'unanimously agree on the document's initiatives' 

The Nationalist Party has dismissed the finance minister’s harsh criticism of its pre-budget document as a “comedy of errors”.

“In a press conference called to pinpoint mistakes by the Opposition, Edward Scicluna only managed to make a series of errors that reflect badly on him and his ministry,” the PN said in a statement. “He failed to answer any one of the pertinent questions included in the document and asked by journalists at the press conference. He failed to comment on the proposals contained in the document, proposals aimed at improving the lives of all, not least those living in poverty and in risk of poverty.”

The Opposition also argued that the social partners of the Malta Council of Social and Economic Development had agreed unanimously on its initiatives. In contrast with Prime Minister Joseph Muscat who had derided them on Sunday.

In his press conference last week, Scicluna had expressed his “disbelief” at the “amateurish document that ridicules any party in Opposition”.

“It would be better for the PN if it were to withdraw its document, correct it and republish it,” he said. “It is replete with mistake, amateurish, and at times misleading. Tables are wrongly sources, with missing figures or misplaced.”

To start with, he pointed out, a pre-budget document for 2016 was titled ‘2015’: he questioned how a major political party also lacked the services of a proofreader. However, the PN retorted that a report containing reactions to a pre-budget document can carry in its title a reference to the year in which it was written.

The party also dismissed the minister’s claims that it had left out figures “to warp the real picture”. For example, Scicluna had questioned why the line “wholesale and retail” within a table depicting the average gross annual salary by sector was left blank.

However, the PN explained that the word “retail” was followed by a comma, therefore grouping “wholesale and retail” with the subsequent line, ie. “accommodation and food services”. 

Questions of grammar: PN claim minister missed out on a comma
Questions of grammar: PN claim minister missed out on a comma

Scicluna had also questioned why the Opposition had failed to include the 2015 figures indicating an increase in female participation in the labour market and an increase in exports.”

“It would have made absolutely no sense to include partial information for 2015 in a table that lists full-year data,” the PN said. “Rather than chasing shadows, the Minister should focus his energy on identifying measures to help reverse the negative trend in exports. Total exports in 2013 and 2014 declined by €721 million and exports net of fuel in the same period went down by €318 million. “