Busuttil says PN faces uphill task in May elections

With the forthcoming MEP elections looming, PN leader Simon Busuttil has admitted that his party faces an “uphill” task to offset its 36,000-vote discrepancy that it had suffered in March 2013.

Addressing the PN club in Mellieha, Busuttil said it would be difficult for the party to regain the trust of the electorate – acknowledging that voters were “still hurt” by the previous Nationalist administrations.

Following its catastrophic defeat in March’s general election, the party’s grassroots and its leadership cited the party’s failure to “keep in touch” with the electorate and for ignoring the people’s pleas – a stark reminder for Simon Busuttil who has insisted that he wants to “rebuild the PN.”

“Notwithstanding the electoral loss, we want to rebuild the PN. We have to regain the electorate’s trust and convince them that we are not only capable of governing but we are also their voice,” Busuttil rallied.

"The PN has a mountain to climb. It is difficulty for the party to redress its March defeat but it is important for the Nationalist Party to win and gain the electorate’s trust. The elections are the best platform for the electorate to show whom they trust the most,” Busuttil said while pinpointing the government’s “unfulfilled” electoral promises.  

One year into Labour’s legislature, Busuttil blasted the government’s failure for not delivering on its main rallying calls - most notably its meritocracy pledge, and its promises to implement transparency and kick out corruption.

The PN has a mountain to climb and it is difficult for the party to redress the March electoral defeat. Busuttil on the upcoming MEP elections

“In the run up to the election, Muscat had reiterated his electoral pledges of meritocracy, transparency, accountability and employment, but its results show a different truth.”

“The government can no longer blame its shortcomings on its inexperience, a year has passed – it has had plenty of time to make a mark. It is now up to the electorate to judge the government’s first year,” the Opposition leader said.

While lambasting the government for awarding Sai Mizzi Liang [the wife of energy minister Konrad Mizzi] a €13,000 monthly wage, Busuttil claimed that the Opposition had vehemently filed numerous PQs but to no avail, as they were not given any details about her appointment.

“The only criterion for her appointment was the fact she is Konrad Mizzi’s wife – nothing more. It is shameful that some people do not even earn €13,000 a year, let alone in a month,” Busutitl claimed.

Turning his stride on corruption, the PN leader blamed the government for tolerating corruption – a move that according to Simon Busuttil has led to corruption becoming “institutionalised.”

“The Labour Party has claimed that it would kick out corruption, but now a year into its legislature, it is waiving criminal proceedings against 1,000 Enemata account holders who bribed public officials,” he said.

On the government’s citizenship scheme, Busuttil said Malta is now being perceived as being a “cash-strapped” country and that it has to sell its passports to make ends meet.

“Not even Greece with its bailouts and austerity measures has resorted to selling passports. The potential beneficiaries of the scheme as well as investors would be deterred from coming to Malta because of the government’s interference,” Busuttil said while referring to Scottish bus-operator McGill’s failed plan to take over the public transport.

In a scathing attack, Busuttil also accused Joseph Muscat of being “used to” meeting dictators such as [Ukraine president] Victor Yanukovych and members of the Azerbaijan government.

On the proposed Liquefied Natural Gas terminal, Busuttil accused the government of “ignoring” and “exploiting” the Marsaxlokk and Birzebbugia voters.

The floating LNG terminal will see a 215MW gas plant and liquefied natural gas storage terminal be permanently anchored to a jetty outside the Marsaxlokk Bay – a bone of contention and the Nationalist Party who has insisted that it poses a health hazard.

“Marsaxlokk and Birzebbugia residents have been taken for a ride. Their votes were welcomed and championed by the Labour Party but now, they are being ignored," he insisted while calling on the government to anchor it outside of the port.

“The PN is the voice of all the people – including those living in the South. The party wants to voice the concerns of all the people and if we believe in something we are ready to extend our hand of cooperation and change the government’s mind,” Busuttil said while drawing comparisons with the citizenship scheme amendments.