Government’s metro proposal ‘disjointed’, Bernard Grech says

Opposition leader question’s Labour’s criticism of the metro proposal made by the PN in 2017, saying it has run out of ideas

Prime Minister Robert Abela does not truly believe government can go through with the metro project, Opposition leader Bernard Grech has said.

“Robert Abela does not truly believe in the metro project. If he does, why did government propose it on the eve of an upcoming general election, and not earlier in the legislature?” he said.

On Saturday, PM Robert Abela and Transport Minister Ian Borg presented the results of a study on the feasibility of a mass transport system in Malta.

The study proposes a three-line underground transport system with 25 stops. It is estimated to cost around €6.25 billion and would be spanned over a period of 15-20 years.

Speaking during a phone-in interview on party radio station NET FM, Grech questioned the Labour Party’s criticism of a similar proposal made by former Nationalist Leader Simon Busutill before the 2017 general election.

“First they criticized the proposal, and now they have to bow their heads and accept that it is the only solution to the situation we find ourselves in,” he said.

Grech also criticised a number of aspects in government’s metro proposal, saying it ignores the needs of people who work in south and Gozitans.

“You have thousands of workers who commute to the south every day, and their needs are being ignored,” he said. “It is clearly a disjointed plan.”

He said the Labour administration is a government which does not plan, and so resorts to copying the PN’s proposals.

“They did it with the race track announced last week, and they did it with the metro,” he said. “People are realising the opposition’s proposals are carefully planned out.”

Pre-budget document

Speaking on the pre-budget document published by the PN on Saturday, Grech thanked the shadow ministers and technical experts behind the publication, saying it was welcomed by a number of social partners.

“Social partners are looking at us with respect, because they see an alternative government in the PN,” he said.

He insisted the country must change its economic model to one which rewards hard work, and prioritises quality of life.

“The government must rid itself of the group of individuals who planned on becoming millionaires before the 2013 general election,” he said. “We want to renew the economy.”

He also called out the coordinated attacks by government against individuals who dare criticise its work.

“This is what happened to Karol Aquilina, and today we know that it was all a fabricated lie,” he said.

He said the Labour government will try to corrupt the individual who cares criticise it.

“But when it cannot succeed in doing so, it resorts to attacking the individual,” Grech said.