Gonzi’s treatment of Dalli ‘symptomatic’ of the PN’s modus operandi under Nationalist PM – Muscat

Speaking during a party activity at the Naxxar PL club this morning, Muscat did not mince his words.

“This is symptomatic in the PN – if you do not agree with Gonzi, you are excluded,” Muscat said..

“The PN is like a pack of cards. If you remove one, it collapses,” Muscat said taking classic imagery from gaming.

“The least said, the better,” the PL leader, drawing from Dantesque imagery in hell. “We are united,” he said..

“The no-regrets Gonzi is also mismanaging the Maltese economy,” Muscat said.

Asked about the utilities’ bill, Muscat revealed that whoever gets a “single euro of the energy benefit”, does not qualify for the other benefit pledged by the Nationalist Government in the last Budget speech.

“They did not manage the ARMS transition effectively. They did not give a definite deadline on the opening of the ARMS office in Blata l-Bajda,” he said.

 If I cannot trust them on such a simple problem such as the ARMS opening, how can we trust them with water and electricity bills?” Muscat said..

Muscat revealed how one of the persons who had revealed the case of the construction contract with Finance Minister Tonio Fenech was being discriminated at Enemalta “after he had revealed this irregularity. The government has promised a Whistleblower's Act but if really wants to protect them, then it should not continue harassing this worker,” Muscat insisted.

Muscat also commented on Gonzi’s comment during the PN’s Independence day mass meeting, where he said that he had “no regrets over the power station contract”.

Now the Government was trying to patch it up. “If he really has regrets on BWSC, he knows what he has to do – cancel the contract immediately,” Muscat insisted.

Muscat reiterated that the PL had already made it proposals on corruption. “We have said that we would defend those who expose corruption,” he insisted.

Asked about the living wage, Muscat expressed his pleasure that there was discussion on the living wage. “We need to have a consensus between social partners on working wage,” he said. He explained how the living wage would include a decent salary that would cover not only the bare minimum but would also enable people to pay for their utility bills and unexpected events without any burdens on families.

“We cannot put the burden all on employers because that would impinge negatively on our competitiveness,” he said. “The state has to intervene in this. It is not right that a parent has to sacrifice himself or herself from something in order to pay for their son or daughter’s new school books."

He proposed granting fiscal incentives for those companies who introduced a working wage. “Moreover, if we take people off the minimum wage, you would generate more economic activity and people would live more in dignity."

“The reactionary forces would say that it is impossible to do. But the same was said when the PL introduced minimum wage,” he insisted.

Last week Gonzi was speaking about those countries that had a minimum wage and stipends.  “We are proud of this, because it was a Labour Government who introduced these two things!” the Opposition leader added.

“The middle class was created by Mintoff and fostered by Eddie Fenech Adami,” Muscat explained. “The Gonzi PN has destroyed the middle class!” he insisted.

The PL would “re-build” the middle class in Malta.  “We want to create a country of achievers,” Muscat said.

However, the PL would also take care of pensioners.  “In the past, the elderly used to hep their sons and daughters.  Now it is the sons and daughters who have to help the elderly,” Muscat said.

Asked whether the PL had grown “too quiet” in the past few months, Muscat explained that in the past few months, the PL was taking stock of the political situation.

“If you look at the past 30 years, besides 1996, the PL has last obtained a majority of votes in 1976, 34 years ago.  We have to look back at what the PL had done to do so in 1971,1976 and 1996,” he said.

In all those times, the PL had “removed the barriers around it” and formed a wide coalition,” Muscat insisted.

He explained how in 1976, there were people who had not voted PL in 1971 because of fear, had been now convinced to vote Labour in 1976 “after its track record of social justice”.

“What we hare to do is long-term change to ensure that we become the best in Europe,” he pledged. “Rather than winning, we have to come out with a visionary statement,” Muscat added.

“We know that the reactionary forces, including the PN, will not help us,” he warned.

Muscat insisted that he expected a “development on the ID Cards’ issue, which are important to us. 

“However beyond the issue of ID Card, we have to be the best in Europe,” he reiterated.

He quoted an e-mail from a couple who was earning €990 month for a 60-hour job and his wife was earning €900.  “They have received a massive utilities’ bill and loans, and simply cannot cope with both wages,” Muscat lamented.

These middle class families “are losing their income and their status,” Muscat lamented.

“Gonzi PN had promised to remove income tax on the top rate however two budgets have passed and it has not implemented. We have to see whether Gonzi will implement this in the next budget or not,” he warned.