The country’s major challenge in 2007 is for all parties concerned to pull the same rope to improve everyone’s quality of life, Malta Labour Party (MLP) leader Alfred Sant said yesterday.

Speaking at a reception for members of the media and social partners, Dr Sant said that this improvement should be brought about within the context of our traditional values and mutual respect to political differences.

The MLP leader said some families are living a good life and should be helped to maintain this lifestyle. But others are experiencing difficulties and should get the necessary support to improve the quality of their life.

He said another challenge facing the country is to become more competitive in a world that is evolving rapidly. Dr Sant said the MLP believes that people want a change and the party will be working hard to achieve this change.

The Labour leader said the past year was characterised by numerous meetings between the party and all social forces in a complex effort to draw up a political plan for the country’s future.

Party Secretary General Jason Micallef said that the next important appointments for the party were the local council elections on 10 March and there could also be another important appointment this year, that of choosing the party to govern the country for the next five years. He said the party was ready for the challenge.