Borg accuses government of misleading the public over Steward arbitration ruling

Nationalist Party leader Alex Borg has accused the government of misleading the public over the Steward arbitration ruling, stating that the sentence itself declared there were "no clear winners" and identified the Maltese and Gozitan people as victims of the saga.

Speaking at the launch of the third edition of the Future Leaders course in Valletta, Borg criticised the government for initially declaring victory when the arbitration ruling was released on Tuesday, whilst the Opposition had no access to the sentence to verify the claims.

"The government used two days to set the agenda, to put it in your minds and in the minds of the people that there was a victory. Then, after pressure from the Opposition and independent media, the sentence came out," Borg said.

He added that once the full sentence was available, "you read the whole sentence and realise there is no victory at all. The sentence itself says there are no clear winners in this sentence. Not only that, but the sentence itself says that the victims of this saga are the Maltese and Gozitan people."

Borg claimed the sentence showed the people had the opportunity to receive quality hospitals and health systems through a public-private partnership, but were not given them by the government. He also criticised the government for not calling key witnesses such as Chris Fearne, Konrad Mizzi and permanent secretaries to testify at the arbitration.

"Why didn't Prime Minister Robert Abela bring them to testify? Because he's afraid they know something that would embarrass the government," he stated.

The PN leader said that instead of recovering money, the Maltese people would now have to pay an additional €5 million to Steward and pointed to a recent MUMN statement describing Karin Grech Hospital as being in a "decadent state" despite government claims of success.

"The government deceived the people the first time when it agreed with Vitals, deceived them a second time when it agreed with Steward, and budget after budget kept increasing the money despite there being major questions, despite not even asking for invoices to see where the money is going," Borg said.

Turning to recent polling, Borg said he remained unsatisfied despite a positive survey, vowing to work harder than ever to provide an alternative for the country.

"Today we had a positive survey, but I am still not happy with it because, despite making inroads, despite having a better trust rating, we still need to celebrate. So we need to roll up our sleeves even more; we will work harder than ever before to truly give an alternative to our country," he said.

The PN leader added that the people are seeking change. "The people want an alternative; the people want to see a better future for our country. The people are calling on the Nationalist Party: give us back Malta, give us back Gozo. They want us to take a step forward so that the future of our country is better, beautiful and just," he stated.

During the event, which featured questions from young party members, Borg announced a series of proposals aimed at helping young people purchase their first homes, stating that the party is committed to making youth "protagonists of Malta's future" rather than leaving them as spectators.

"One of the biggest challenges when I speak to young people is they all say: how can I become a homeowner; how can I start building a family in a home that is mine?" Borg said.

The PN leader detailed three key housing proposals: a rent-to-own scheme where rental payments count as investment towards home ownership, an equity sharing model where the government acts as a partner in initial property purchases, and incentives for first-time buyers to acquire vacant properties.

Borg emphasised that these proposals emerged from direct consultation with young people rather than being developed "behind a desk".

The Future Leaders participants also raised questions covering education reform, mental health support, environmental protection and public transport.

On education, Borg stressed the need to align Malta's educational system with technological advances, citing a recent survey by one of the Big Four companies showing that a country's education system significantly influences foreign investment decisions. 

He called for linking education with emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence, e-sports, 3D printing and blockchain.

Regarding mental health, Borg advocated for creating support hubs in every locality staffed with psychologists, psychiatrists, counsellors and social workers. He also reiterated calls for a new mental health hospital, stating that current facilities at Mount Carmel lack proper infrastructure.

The PN leader defended his offer to work with the government on mass transportation planning, saying he was willing to sign a memorandum of understanding to implement a cross-party approach similar to other countries. He criticised the government for lacking clear direction on the issue, pointing to contradictory statements from various ministers.

"We will continue to safeguard the Maltese and Gozitan people, we will see that we have exceptional health services, we will see that we have infrastructural investment in a new hospital in Gozo and a new hospital in Malta," Borg stated.

The Future Leaders programme aims to provide political direction for young people's political journey, with participants submitting questions to the party leader.