Labour leader Alfred Sant yesterday said it was not fair that the working and middle classes should carry the whole burden of restructuring.
Dr Sant was speaking as a guest on SBS radio in Melbourne, Australia, which he is currently touring with deputy leader Michael Falzon. He told listeners that Malta’s economy was stagnated, compounded by low investment, a lack of job opportunities, rising taxes and government expenditure.
He said that the government had kept the “money no problem” attitude for far too long and continued brushing Malta’s competitiveness problem under the carpet at the same time.
Speaking about the privatisation issue, Dr Sant said that each and every case should be taken on its merits. He said that in some instances, privatisation is viable, but others that have strategic value, such as Air Malta and Sea Malta were not, and the MLP has taken a stand against their sale to third parties.
Dr Sant also said that it was important for Maltese and Maltese Australians to maintain good ties – especially on a personal level – which is why he was back in Australia after a visit three years ago.
The changing social sphere and economy of both Malta and Australia, he said, meant that people constantly needed to renew their dedication to improve ties between communities, especially from the economic aspect.
It was, he said, important to identify investors who had a good track record, in order to give them full support in the event of their wishing to invest in either Malta or Australia. He also said that IT had a very important role in keeping communities close together.
Deputy leader Michael Falzon took questions about the opening up of citizenship regulations for second and third generation Maltese-Australians who still live in Australia.
He also spoke about political and economic developments in Malta, in particular the upcoming General Election. He also spoke about irregular immigration and the economic and social impact it is having on the country.