‘It’s time up for Labour’, Grech tells supporters in Independence Day speech

The reason government cannot clamp down on corruption is because it has become politically trapped by it, Opposition leader Bernard Grech told supporters on Friday evening.

“Today, we are no longer just talking about this corruption or that. Because today, corruption has become part of the political system of this government. A government that has lost the will, the backbone, and the principles to fight corruption,” Grech told supporters in Valletta’s Pjazza Tritoni.

He also told those present government’s time “is up”, saying a Nationalist administration would move the country forward.

Independence Day celebrations which had started on Wednesday ended today, as the country celebrates its 60th anniversary since it became an independent state on Saturday.

Speaking about the occasion, Grech opened his speech by paying tribute to Ġorġ Borg Olivier – the prime minister under whom Malta gained its independence from the British.

“This paved the way for us to become a republic, to gain freedom, and to join the European Union. This is the legacy that Borg Olivier and the Nationalist Party left us. A legacy that for sixty full years has been enjoyed by generation after generation,” Grech told those present.

He also paid tribute to the late Karl Gouder, saying he believed in a vision for Malta. “A just Malta, a clean Malta, a Malta of opportunities, an independent Malta, a European Malta.”

A different Malta

Grech then went on to speak about “a Malta that you cannot recognise”.

Among the examples he mentioned to back his claim, the Nationalist leader said the problems with overpopulation stem from government’s lack of vision for the country.

“The problem is not the foreigners themselves, but a government that gave absolutely no thought to their impact on traffic, infrastructure, electricity, waste collection, sewage, and quality of life. This is not the Malta and Gozo you recognize,” he said.

 But for the Opposition leader, one problem surpasses everything – corruption. He said with government caught up in covering and aiding corruption, it has lost focus on the national interest.

“Instead of fighting corruption as promised, this government is creating or protecting it. Corruption has become the new normal,” he said. “This has left us with a health system which cannot meet people’s needs, a failed electricity system, traffic, lack of upkeep, and public spaces handed over to the private sector for construction.”

He said government has lost its “political compass”, and Abela is lost fighting internal battles within his own party.

“In contrast, the Nationalist Party is looking forward because it has a past and a present to be proud of. Others fear the future because they are trapped in a present of corruption, incompetence, and political emptiness. You know the Nationalist Party and know where you stand with us. You knew us in the past, you know us today, and you will continue to know us in the future,” he said.

A vision for the future and a government whose ‘time is up’

Looking ahead, the Nationalist leader said the PN has a vision for the future, with a strong economy which “creates new jobs, offers continuous training, good wages, and work that gives you satisfaction, but also allows you time to enjoy life with your loved ones.”

“We will not sacrifice your well-being for money; instead, we will invest money in your well-being too,” Grech told supporters.

He said a PN government would provide certainty and stability, implementing a long-term plan not based on an election cycle.

Concluding, he said government’s time “is up.”

“The change this country needs to move forward can only happen if the government changes. This government is now written off; it cannot be fixed. Even the Chamber of Commerce has told them in writing—Time-up. This is because this government has become the problem, not the solution,” he told supporters.

Grech said government will do everything to distract people in the coming two years ahead of the general election.

“It will be two years of a government disconnected from the life you live today. A government intoxicated with words that obscure the truth. But, as always, we trust in you and your intelligence. This is a party that, when the country reaches a crossroads, always gathers around it those of goodwill who recognise the right path,” he said, stating the PN has strengthened itself. “An eager parliamentary group continues to work, along with new candidates who also want to contribute.”

Addressing the crowd before Grech’s speech, Secretary General Michael Piccinino thanked volunteers and members for their contribution in helping make the party an alternative to the government in the past three years.

“Where others have no plan for the country, the PN under Bernard Gech has a vision, and this vision will lead the country in its journey forward,” he said. “The coming two and a half years will be crucial, and will determine the future for the country we love so much.”

In his speech deputy leader Alex Perisci Calascione said hope has been sowed, and that hope promises a “beautiful future for the country.”

“With our eyes fixed on the future, we can together ignite the change this country needs, and deserves,” he concluded.