Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi yesterday expressed his confidence that the Maltese will take the right decision when exercising their sovereign right to choose which party will lead the country.
Dr Gonzi was speaking at a public dialogue meeting at the San Gwann Nationalist Party (PN) band club. PN general secretary Joe Saliba and PN general council president Victor Scerri also participated in the discussion.
Tongue in cheek, Dr Gonzi said that the people always took the right decision – even when the Malta Labour Party (MLP) was elected in 1996. “After 22 months in government, the people quickly changed their mind and put the PN in government. Thanks to their decision we saw MLP for who they really are,” he said.
Dr Gonzi pointed out that the Maltese are benefiting from decisions taken in the past.
“We do not have to look so far back – only four years ago the country took the decision to become an EU member,” he said.
The prime minister said that whenever the PN was in government, it always took important decisions while keeping the family in mind.
However, he added, if the country’s governance is handed over the Malta Labour Party, the Maltese and Gozitans will put their lives at stake.
“The MLP did not yet admit their mistake when they said that EU membership will harm the country, but it has been a long time since I’ve heard them mention Switzerland in the Mediterranean,” said Dr Gonzi.
He said that the PN are not afraid of challenges and that it is pushing for Malta to be one of the foremost countries in Europe and in the world.
“The introduction of the euro will create more factories, work opportunities and education for the Maltese. However, the opposition was telling us to wait before introducing it – we were not afraid,” he said.
The prime minister also reminded the audience that Labour had suggested, two years ago, to devaluate the Maltese lira by 10 per cent – “this would have been a mistake”.
Dr Gonzi spoke about the importance of not being complacent – even after the country’s economy has grown.
“We know, through foreign news, that the price of oil is at its highest, that the price of grain is going up, which means that cereals, animal fodder, dairy products and meat will become more expensive,” he explained.
However, he added, the PN government has the best policy to overcome these problems.
Dr Gonzi warned the audience that the government’s decisions have to be well thought out so as not to lose out on the wealth generated so far and on the respect Malta has gained with other countries.
“This year’s budget will be focused on the family – all the wealth we have generated so far will be generated there,” he said.
Using the analogy of a village grocer, Dr Gonzi explained that the country is generating more wealth even though it has reduced the income tax.
“If there is a grocer who reduces his prices, then his usual quota of, say 10 clients, will increase to around 25, and people will spend more money in his shop,” he said.
Similarly, he said, even though the PN government has reduced the income tax last year, companies are making more profits because more people are working and more taxes are being paid.
Dr Gonzi said that the final decisions before the upcoming budget will be taken in the next few days.
The prime minister also spoke about education.
“There are people who make it and those who don’t – people have different talents and we have to create a system that will bring out the best in everyone,” he said.
Dr Gonzi condemned the Labour Party’s decision to close the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST) when it was in government.
“MCAST is an alternative route for people and it was the PN government – a government that invested a record amount in education – who reopened it,” he said.
Dr Gonzi also spoke about Smart City.
“The 6,000 jobs are not all Information Technology (IT) related – at least 2,000 jobs are not,” he said.