'An economy of excellence that delivers high-paying jobs': Grech lays out PN's economic vision

Opposition and PN Leader Bernard Grech said that his party envisions an economy of excellence that does not rely on the importation of cheap labour.

On Sunday morning, during a televised interview on NET TV, Grech said that the Nationalist Party believes in an economy of integrity that delivers high-paying jobs, similar to what past PN governments had done.

“My politics focuses on a better standard of living in this country and won’t waste time on the grave shortcomings of this government. Everyone knows that Robert Abela is weak and that his government is doing nothing to address the rising cost of living and the environmental degradation,” Grech said.

Grech said that his party is humble enough to admit that it doesn’t know everything and that he listened to the people and consulted with the social partners.

“On the other hand, Abela does not listen and bases economic growth on the thousands of workers outside of the EU, as his predecessors did. He is short of ideas, tired of governing and uninterested in hearing out businesses and social partners,” Grech said.

The PN leader said that his party’s economic vision had brought in the I-Gaming, financial services and tourism industries to the country and that they now provide high-paying jobs to the Maltese.

He referred to a survey by the Chamber of SMEs which found that 80% of small businesses are going in the wrong direction, saying this was a confirmation that the country needed a change in direction.

Grech criticised Abela, Clyde Caruana and Alex Agius Saliba for “attacking family businesses” that were speaking out.

“If you attack the family businesses, which are the backbone of our economy, it indicates that you are in a state of panic,” Grech said

He appealed to the Prime Minister to keep the COLA tax-free and help employers so they don’t suffer the burden of the increase in wages.

Grech appealed to the public to join the Nationalist Party in the protest in front of Castille at 4pm on Sunday, to calling on the government to recover the 'stolen' €400 million in the hospitals' deal.

“We have the confirmation from the Court of Appeals in black and white that Robert Abela, Joseph Muscat, and their friends did not safeguard the nation’s best interests. They protected the interests of the private companies that got the hospitals and €400 million,” Grech said.

He said that the Police Commissioner and the Attorney General were not doing their duty and it was only thanks to the civil society that the magisterial inquiry on the hospitals' deal was carried out.