Updated | New PN billboard exploits Muscat’s ‘old Labour’ link

The Nationalist Party has unveiled a new billboard that latches on to its strategy to rekindle memories of Labour's notorious administration in the 1980s, that features Opposition leader Joseph Muscat alongside many MPs who have served under former party leaders Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici.

They include Labour MPs Karmenu Vella and Joe Debono Grech, as well as former foreign minister Alex Sceberras Trigona who today serves as international secretary for the party. MPs like Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca were party officials during the 1980s.

The PN has set much store in rekindling memories of the 1980s in which numerous abuses at the hands of a politically-manipulated police force, as well as other allegations of corruption, tarnished the record of the then Labour government.

The billboard is also similar to a previous one employed in the 2008 election during Alfred Sant's leadership of the party.

In a separate comment to the press, MEP David Casa said he would not be passing comments on the John Dalli case pending its investigation by the police force. "We are awaiting the conclusions of that investigation."

On his part, justice minister Chris Said said the resignation of the EU commissioner would not be tarnishing the "success" Malta enjoyed at the recent 5 5 summit, held back in October, mentioning Labour's ties with communist North Korea as a "far worse circumstance to behold."

Meanwhile, Said wouldn't reveal his intentions on whether he'd be contesting the PN deputy leadership election. "I will reveal my intentions once the call for nominations is announced," he said.

'Nothing new from Labour' - PN

Unveiling the billboard, the president of the PN executive council Marthese Portelli said that the members who today made up Labour, were the same individuals who served under the Alfred Sant administration.

"Moreover, Muscat has brought in those individuals who had been discarded by Sant. They are the same individuals who emptied the country's coffers, diminished  working opportunities and implemented the wrong policies," Portelli said.

On his part, David Casa said that while Labour can be an alternative in terms of choice, one still had to see "what type of politics it will be offering".

"Judging by the individuals Muscat is surrounded with, will have the same politics implemented by the Dom Mintoff, Karm Mifsud Bonnici and Alfred Sant. The MLP politics was one of unemployment, the four-day week and unemployed students," he said.

Casa repeatedly referred to Alex Sciberras Trignona and said he had militated in the Campaign for the National Independence against the European Union.

"They want to reopen the EU negotiating package, even though this cannot be done," he added. "MLP only believes in the European Union out of convenience and not out of conviction."

Casa insisted that the change the country needed was the PN: "Labour in itself doesn't want to change, let alone how much it will be able to bring change to the country."

He said that PN was presenting new politicians, with fresh and European ideas detached from politics stuck in the past.

On the other hand, Chris Said that Labour's 'newness' was just an illusion.

"They are part of Joseph Muscat's inner circle: he made them shadow ministers and intends to make them ministers when the time comes. These people, like Alex, Sceberras Trigona, Leo Brincat, George Vella, Karmenu Vella, Joe Debono Grech and so many others, were directly responsible for policies that stifled the economy, created unemployment and reduced your quality of life," he reiterated.

The justice minister said it was enough to look at the track record of Labour's shadow ministers. He said that a Labour administration had frozen wages: "It therefore comes as no surprise that today Muscat want to freeze minimum wage."

Said said Labour had never been in favour of a European Malta but "was more interested in strengthening its ties with communist countries". He said that Muscat only cared about his "inner circle" and went on to refer to comments made in the past by Joe Debono Grech that his "door was only open to Labourites".