The two deputy leaders of the Labour Party have not turned up for a debate on campus especially dedicated to the second in command.

The two deputy leaders of the Labour Party failed to turn up for a debate held on campus this morning, a debate especially dedicated to the second in command.

Both Simon Busuttil, for the Nationalist Party, and Carmel Cacopardo, for Alternattiva Demokratika, accepted the invitation for a debate on the general election.

But neither Toni Abela nor Louis Grech turned up for the discussion. Instead, the Labour Party sent Owen Bonnici, who is the PL spokesman on tertiary education.

Toni Abela has been keeping a low profile since, on two separate tape recordings released on the internet, he was first hear saying that he approached a Labourite policeman and told him not to proceed on a case and, secondly, speaking about a "white block" believed to have been illicit drugs, at a Labour Party club.

The election debate was organised by the Kunsill Studenti Universitarji (KSU), and in the invitation sent to the media it specifically mentioned that it is a debate reserved for the deputy leaders.

In his opening remarks, Dr Busuttil said he was surprised to note that the PL deputy leaders failed to turn up for the debate. The Labour Party, he said, has two deputy leaders to choose from, yet Labour failed to send either of them.

 

Dr Busuttil’s remarks didn’t spark any reaction from Mr Bonnici, having remained tight-lipped on the issue.

On education, Dr Busuttil said that the PN is seeking a quality leap in education, from beginning to end for everyone, including mature students through lifelong learning courses.

Dr Busuttil said one cannot ever offer free education if a government failed to maintain its strong finances.

Dr Cacopardo, on the oher hand, said that it’s not about numbers and statistics but it’s about quality, stressing that one needs to focus more on a quality leap.

He said that the two parties were promising to reduce taxes, raising questions whether education sector will be the first to be hit in order for both parties to maintain certain promises.

Dr Bonnici, meanwhile said that a Labour government will continue to build on what has been achieved, adding however that “we will need to target the percentage of students who stop short from furthering their studies”.

Compared to the EU, he said, Malta had a high rate of youths who chose to discontinue their studies.

Dr Busuttil expressed satisfaction that Labour acknowledged a PN government’s work in the sector, referring to Dr Bonnici’s statement that the PL would continue to build on what was achieved already.

He said the electorate had two options: either to choose the party which is attempting to change the country’s direction, or vote for the PN who is willing to maintain the same direction. He said that the country couldn’t afford a  change in direction at this point in time.

He pointed out that 50% of youths in Spain were unemployed, adding that the country tasted a Socialist government, referring to Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, and ended up in deep water.

Dr Busuttil warned that Malta could end up the same if the wrong decision is made come 9 March.

Dr Bonnici reiterated that not all is gloom but highlighted that a number of challenges need to be overridden, such as a big percentage of 19-year-olds who decide to stop studying at that age.

Raising the issue of SmartCity, Dr Bonnici said that a Labour government is committed to honouring its promises, opposed to the PN who failed to maintain its 7,000 jobs promise at SmartCity.

Dr Cacopardo accused the government of indirectly helping promote precarious work, adding that the tendering system was to blame.

On both the Whistleblowers Act and the party financing law, he said that both needed to be passed for the sake of the country, highlighting that the PN decided to get a loan from ‘Bank of Vassallo’ instead of turning to a bank.

He claimed that it was untrue that the PN maintained the country’s finances.

Dr Bonnici pointed out that it is important for certain laws to come into force.

He raised the question why the in-vitro fertility (IVF) treatment hadn’t yet started at Mater Dei, despite the law having come into effect last year.

Dr Busuttil said that not all was perfect, referring to this legislature, however pointed out that a PN government can definitely boast of a quality leap in education.

Slamming Dr Cacopardo’s comments that it was untrue the government hadn’t maintained its strong finances, Dr Busuttil said that results showed that a PN government maintained its strong finances, referring to the EU forecasts that Malta will have the second best economic growth.

Dr Busuttil cast doubts over the PL’s election proposals costs, saying that the PN has much less proposals than the PL, yet the PL is projecting a lesser amount of funds to cover its proposals.

Labour's election proposals will cost €732 million, significantly lower than the PN’s €1.1 billion.

Dr Bonnici said that a PN government wrongly prioritised when it decided to build the new parliament building in Valletta and a breakwater bridge in the city.

He lambasted the PN for secretly awarding €500 to ministers at a delicate time when people were being asked to tighten their belts, while reminding the electorate that Air Malta employees and mini-bus owners were sent a letter by the PN before the 2008 election promising them a safe future.

“Look where they ended up today,” he added.

Dr Busuttil reminded the electorate over Labour’s four-year protest against the modernisation of Sant’ Antin recycling plant.

He pointed out that Dr Bonnici had protested against its modernisation but is failing to protest against his party’s “dangerous” energy plans.

Dr Busuttil claimed that all the Valletta projects are aimed at attracting tourists, including the city’s breakwater bridge, expressing disappointment over Labour’s failure to acknowledge this fact.

He warned that it is evident that under a PL government the first to lose will be youths, quoting Labour leader Joseph Muscat’s comments during The Times’ debate expressing his wish to have offered the same proposal as the PN presented regarding the €500 grant to 21-year-olds interested in discovering another EU country’s culture.

“Dr Muscat preferred to sideline the proposal aimed at youths to reduce his party’s electoral programme’s costs than choose to sideline a less important proposal.

Dr Busuttil reaffirmed the party’s proposals that every child born will have 1,000 deposited in a pension account and that stipends will be paid pro rata according to COLA.

Dr Cacopardo said that the two parties encouraged abuse, referring to the Armier boathouses. He said that both the PN and PL tried to seek an arrangement behind closed doors with boathouse owners.

Referring to the 75,000 vacant properties, he said that instead of discouraging further building developments, a PN government opened its doors wider to development.

Dr Busuttil aknowledged AD’s concerns in terms of the environment, however said that a PN government solved the problem of drainage being thrown into the sea.

With an investment of €108 million in three new purification plants, Malta has also become the first country in the Mediterranean to treat all of its drainage before it is let out into the sea.

He pointed out that not all the vacant properties belonged to the government and a number of properties were privately owned.

Dr Busuttil lauded the scheme extending the lease of Valletta business owners operating from government property to 45 years from six months.

Dr Bonnici slammed the heavy fuel oil-powered plant, adding that Labour’s energy plans will lead to a better and cleaner quality of life.

He added that a PL government is committed to implementing its proposal of dividing the planning and environment watchdog while denying the PN’s claims that both entities will work against each other.

Labour is proposing to separate sustainable development and the environment.

A student present suggested that Dr Muscat would not have been taken seriously when negotiating a package with the EU due to his past strong opposition towards Malta’s application to join.

Asked if the PN intends introducing stipends for repeaters, same as the PL is proposing, Dr Busuttil said that such a proposal didn’t form part of the PN’s plans but highlighted that a number of other incentives, including stipends, will be maintained by a PN government if re-elected to another term in office.

A student present cast doubts over the PN’s proposal to create 25,000 jobs which saw Dr Busuttil replying by saying that he should take a good look at the published Labour Force Survey 2013 and compare it to the survey published in 2008, which was evidence enough to show the PN created 20,000 new jobs.

Dr Busuttil reminded students that a Labour government changed stipends into loans.

Dr Bonnici said that German Chancellor Angela Merkel could never really tell what Malta’s situation is unless she lived here and witnessed the amount of precarious work.

Ms Merkel had stated that Malta has amply proved that one can still achieve positive results in a difficult environment, lauding our country’s excellent economic performance.

Dr Busuttil called on students to responsibly vote for the party they think should govern for the next five years, adding that students are the key to the country’s future’s success.

He warned that EU neighbouring countries ended up in deep water due to a string of bad decisions that were taken, adding that he has witnessed EU politicians promising the earth and steering the county into a wall as a result.

Dr Cacopardo claimed that a Labour government will attempt to use building developments as its pillar to enhance the economy, while suggesting that this is the reason behind Labour’s separation of the environment watchdog.

Dr Bonnici said that the aim of his party's cry 'Malta Taghna Lkoll' is to remove 'tribal' politics once and for all.

He slammed the PN for having launched a scaremongering campaign, calling on the electorate to give Labour a chance.