Despite the Opposition Leader’s claims that Malta would end up with 8,000 unemployed persons and a disastrous economy the country has the second lowest unemployment rate in the EU and government decisions are leading to good economic results, the PL said today.
Addressing a press conference this afternoon, PL Deputy Leader Toni Abela said the facts today show how wrong Simon Busuttil’s prophecies were. Malta also has the second lowest youth unemployment rate in the EU and job creation is three times what it was during the previous legislature.
These positive economic trends came as a result of sound decisions taken by the current administration, including the reduction in energy tariffs, free childcare and other family friendly measures, which led to an increase of 6% in female participation in the labour market. Other measures included the Youth Guarantee, assistance to persons with disabilities and the decrease in income tax. 8 out of every 10 new jobs are created in the private sector, Dr Abela said.
On his part, Mr Schembri said the negative faction within the PN, led by Simon Busuttil and Beppe Fenech Adami, was prevailing. The “split” within the PN was evident, he said.
He spoke about the “conflicting statements” given by PN Deputy Leader Mario de Marco and the Busuttil/Fenech Adami faction, including on the power station project and the new residency programme.
Mr Schembri said the PN was constantly criticising the government for employing more people but the number of people employed in the public sector during the second year of a PL government were less than the amount of people who joined the government’s ranks during the 3-month long election campaign in 2013. Most of the public sector jobs were either in health or education, he said.
He also said that, according to official statistics, 81% of people beliee the economy is doing well and deposits in local banks have reached €9.7billion.
He also referred to comments by the Opposition on foreign nationals, mostly eastern Europeans, taking up jobs in Malta and said these were almost xenophobic.
Negative are the ones who fail to fight corruption - PN
Reacting to the PL’s news conference held earlier today, the PN said in a statement that the word “negativity” seems to be Prime Minister’s Joseph Muscat’s buzzword.
“If there is anyone who is negative, it is Dr Muscat who has chosen to close an eye to the corruption which is unfolding before our eyes.
“It is useless for Dr Muscat to be proud of statistics when it is only him and his chosen few who are benefitting from the economic situation.
“Despite the fact that the number of unemployed persons has decreased, the truth is that the unemployment figures are down due to the fact that Dr Muscat - in a matter of two years - engaged some 5,500 persons with the public sector which translates into 230 persons employed with the sector monthly.
“The truth is, as Education Minister Evarist Bartolo confirmed yesterday, that the majority of jobs are being taken up by foreigners due to the fact that wages are on the low side.
“The PN – which sticks up for Maltese and Gozitan families and is continuously branded as being a negative party for doing so - is up against the government of Dr Muscat which is drowning in corruption the more days go by,” the PN said.