Malta and the Labour Party still need you, Miriam Dalli tells Muscat

Labour MEP Miriam Dalli has appealed to Prime Minister Joseph Muscat for him not to step down as leader before the next general election as he has pledged to do.

Speaking at a political activity in Zurrieq, on the eve of Freedom Day, Dalli remembered how “Dom Mintoff together with his soldiers of steel, that ensured a solid base for the country”.

“Today, 40 years later, let us continue to build on this legacy. Let us send a clear message to Prime Minister Joseph Muscat that Malta and the Labour Party need him,” Dalli said

The activity, organised as part of Dalli’s MEP election campaign, was also addressed by a number of MPs, including Justice Minister Owen Bonnici, Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi and Parliamentary Secretary Julia Farrugia Portelli.

Dalli spoke about the need for the country to build on its successes and strengthen its education system.  “We can do this by ensuring an inclusive education that promotes different abilities and preparing our children for future careers.”

“I believe in a tailor-made education that addresses different needs and abilities. We have to make sure that students with different abilities are not lost between one year and another. It would be us, as a society, that would be losing out on that potential,” Dalli said.

The MEP has, over the last legislature, worked with the Autism Parents Association to make the University of Malta more inclusive, and to allow students with different learning abilities to continue their education at tertiary level.

She said students she had met with in recent day had insisted on the importance of the social aspect of the education system.

As children spend an increasing amount of time using gadgets, a deficit is being created, leading to a reduction in social interaction skills, she said.

“I also want to see an education system that continues to give greater importance to sports. I believe that this could help us address the obesity problem as well as help more people take care of their mental health,” Dalli noted.

Maltese educational institutions, she said, needed to prepare youths for tomorrow’s industries.

“It’s about the next five, 10 years. We can already see the take-up of technologies such as blockchain and AI. Preparation should not only be an academic one, but also encouraging in how to be innovative.”

Zrinzo Azzopardi announced that, following an initiative by Dalli, proposals for combatting discrimination against persons with a disability in various sectors were being studied.

“There are persons finding closed doors when trying to seek certain services from financial services institutions. There are realities in the insurance sector that don’t allow persons with disability to acquire certain products. We are now studying what solutions could be offered,” Zrinzo Azzopardi said.