Dr Sant’s proposal is dangerous, Dr Gonzi said. It will damage the economy, attack the quality of life and reduce the currency’s credibility, said Dr Gonzi. If the lira is depreciated, pensioners and entrepreneurs will be earning Lm9 for every Lm10 they earn today.

Dr Gonzi said the opposition leader simply wants to reduce the money the workers, entrepreneurs and elderly have in hand. This proposed measure will also generate speculation since profits would be made, at the expense of the Maltese, by money coming in and going out of Malta.

As he continued discussing Dr Sant’s proposal, the Prime Minister said that the idea for the depreciation to be introduced slowly is a ploy for the devaluation to be brought about behind people’s backs. “This will give people the impression that the value of the lira is not being tampered with,” he said.

The General Workers’ Union requested an urgent meeting with Dr Sant for an explanation as to why he wanted to reduce people’s income by 10 per cent. Dr Gonzi wondered what the GWU’s position on this proposal was.

Dr Sant’s policies were also wrong when his party was in government, said Prime Minister Gonzi. He said Dr Sant had imposed a Lm48 tax on every electricity meter and raised the prices of water and electricity services at a time when the price of oil was decreasing.

At that point in time, the price of oil had decreased to US$12 per barrel while this year the price reached a record of US$50 per barrel, he continued. “The government has introduced a surcharge that will decrease when the price of oil does, since it is separate from the actual rates of electricity and water services,” said Dr Gonzi.

The government has no qualms with Dr Sant going to the Auditor General to confirm how the surcharge was calculated, continued the Prime Minister. He expects the Opposition Leader to be a man and actually take this step.

Dr Gonzi said this did not happen when Dr Sant first threw the purchase of Malta house in Brussels in doubtful light and then did not go to the Public Accounts Committee that scrutinised the said purchase.

At the meeting, Dr Gonzi also reminded the gathering that the budget included a crackdown on kerosene abuse. The government lost Lm2.5 million due to this abuse and therefore this must be addressed.

“In his two-and-a-half-hour speech, Dr Sant did not find time to discuss the environment, something that the government considers to be a top priority,” continued Dr Gonzi. He explained the government is addressing the environmental challenges being thrown Malta’s way, such as waste generation and what is to be done with it.

The environment is vital for the country, its economy and its tourism industry, said the prime minister. He said he was surprised Dr Sant completely ignored this sector considering the government invested so much in the environment.

Dr Gonzi also mentioned the government’s initiative to encourage women to go back to work. He explained that women delving back into the workplace will benefit from an income-tax-free year. A couple who both work part-time will both pay 15 per cent income tax since previously one partner would pay 15 per cent and the other would pay 35 per cent.

Prime Minister Gonzi reminded the gathering of the 18th anniversary of the murder of Raymond Caruana, who was killed in the Gudja Nationalist party club. “This murder was the beginning of Malta getting back on the road to democracy,” he concluded.