Confusion in local councils with Labour majorities, partisan motives and unsuccessful policies – these were a few of the reasons Deputy Prime Minister Tonio Borg gave for the public to vote in favour of Nationalist Party candidates and against those belonging to the Malta Labour Party in the forthcoming local council elections.
“A vote for the PN candidates translates into a vote for those who seriously work hard in order for residents to have a better life,” Dr Borg declared when speaking at Msida PN club yesterday.
He said that the residents of Zebbug had witnessed the confusion brought about by a Labour majority. “There has been a different mayor every year due to the number of resignations and in such a situation, it is the residents and the locality itself that suffer,” said Dr Borg.
The PN local councillors work hard to improve the residents’ area, he continued. He claimed that while the MLP was in government, unemployment increased by 1,200. “In 1997, the one whole year that MLP leader Alfred Sant spent as Prime Minister, investment fell by Lm19 million,” he continued.
Dr Borg claimed that the MLP used local councils for partisan endeavours. “The party was initially against the concept of local councils since it did not agree with power being given to the residents,” he further noted.
“When in government, the MLP aimed to reduce the local council budget by Lm1million per year and in 22 months they reduced the budget allocated by Lm2 million,” said the deputy prime minister. He pointed out that, since then, the local council budget has doubled.
He went on to mention that the three MLP MEPs had been absent when an important vote was to be taken regarding port workers. “Dr Sant made an attempt to justify John Attard Montalto’s absence by claiming he was on a ‘personal political assignment’ when in actual fact he was on a cruise in Mexico,” said Dr Borg.
“The MLP has a history of making U-turns from its original positions. It used labour local councillors to voice its opinion against the development of the Sant Antnin recycling plant when later Dr Sant said he agreed that the plant should be modernised,” he continued.
Dr Borg claimed that the labour leader agreed with this idea so much that he is now proposing that a further four similar plants be constructed. He highlighted the fact that Dr Sant has failed to announce where he believes these plants should be located and is asking for Lm400,000 to draw up a report on the subject.
He concluded his speech by saying that the MLP has attempted to give the impression that Malta is not thriving. “This is not the first time that this has happened,” he said, citing the MLP’s claim that Malta would only be awarded Lm1.5 million by the EU.