Where is the surplus going? Remember the cheque in your post – Joseph Muscat

Labour has kept its word in redressing past injustices, Labour leader tells general conference

Joseph Muscat addressing Labour delegates in Swatar
Joseph Muscat addressing Labour delegates in Swatar

Work-related injustices of the past are being addressed as promised and some 6,000 people will be receiving €11 million this year, Joseph Muscat said.

The payments are part of an electoral pledge to redress long-standing grievances, including those of some 2,500 police officers who were not paid overtime. This is the second year running that the outstanding claims are being settled.

The Prime Minister said the payments were possible because public finances registered a surplus for the third year running.

“We are redressing problems of the past that previous administrations did not even acknowledge,” Muscat said, adding some of the injustices went back to the Labour administrations of the past.

He was speaking at a session of the Labour Party general conference held under a tent in Swatar on Thursday evening.

“When people ask you where the surplus is going, remember the cheque you received for suffering a past injustice, remember the tax refund you received, remember the VAT refund you received on cars bought between 2004 and 2009, remember the higher pensions, the better roads being built,” Muscat said.

He reiterated the claim that the Nationalist Party tried to prevent local elections being held in 23 localities by fielding the bare minimum of candidates.

Muscat said the only reason why elections will be held in these localities is because the Labour Party fielding more candidates.

“What the PN tried to do is disenfranchise voters... I do not believe they could not find candidates but this was a deliberate attempt to try and avoid elections in these localities,” Muscat said.

The Prime Minister said one of the biggest challenges councils will face in the coming five years is achieving more cleanliness.

“Everybody is clapping and people are cooperating in separating their waste but if we want to improve cleanliness now is the time to curb the abuse perpetrated by those who do not care,” he warned, adding that the attention people gave to keeping their homes clean should also be reflected in public spaces.