AD slams PN and PL campaigns' ‘failure to address important issues’

Alternattiva Demokratika has ended its 2017 electoral campaign, by accusing Labour and PN of failing to address several important issues, which it said were tackled in AD’s “no-nonsense” electoral manifesto.

Speaking at Upper Barrakka Gardens this afternoon, AD chairperson Prof. Arnold Cassola slammed the two frontrunners for “competing” as to who will reduce taxes the most and of making “unsustainable promises”.

He stressed that his party had steered clear of the “dirty, negative” election campaign, “full of insults” that had been conducted by the PN and PL.

“AD tried to be positive in its campaigning, and only made doable proposals such as making Malta self-sufficient with regards to energy, without reliance on fossil fuels, bringing carbon emissions to zero by 2050 and utilizing Malta’s 73,000 vacant properties for large-scale residential projects, especially in areas where there is a concentration of empty buildings.”

The green party had also proposed changes at institutional level, with appointees to certain public functions having to first be approved by parliamentary and public hearings.

“Power is thereby given to parliament...and not to the Prime Minister of the day.”

Cassola said that housing, transport, energy, air quality and the urgent need for Constitutional reform were all very important topics, “but unfortunately the two parties have avoided talking about it at all costs, whilst talking about irrelevant things.”

He noted that the subject of precarious employment was barely touched upon during this election campaign, such as revelations that some workers at Playmobil are only being paid €2 an hour.

“Playmobil pay and treat their workers very well, but then they resort to a little trick through sub-contracting work with abysmal pay. We insist that precarious work be eradicated from our country and that people should be paid decent salaries for their work.” I

In the absence of government intervention, Cassola asked Playmobil to “do the right thing” and pay its subcontractors more to ensure the home workers earn the minimum wage, at least.

Cassola also thanked “the thousands of Maltese citizens” who support his party and who on Saturday will vote for clean politics, not just in the environmental aspect, but also from that of ethics and morals in public life.”

Asked what he would consider to be a positive outcome for AD this election, Cassola replied that he intends to maintain or increase the number of votes compared to the 2013 election, when AD pulled a record 1.8% of the vote.