Labour Party general secretary Jason Micallef is seeking a remedy at PBS because deputy leader Charles Mangion could not explain the financial impact of what the Labour leader was promising, the Nationalist Party said yesterday. He was effectively trying to cover up for the poor showing Dr Mangion made on Bondiplus last Monday, where he could not say how much Dr Sant’s four proposals would cost.

The MLP, the PN argued, was trying to please everyone by promising everything to everyone. When Dr Mangion was given the estimate that the four proposals would mean a jump of Lm115 million in the deficit every year, Dr Mangion had no reply.

The PN said the Labour Party’s proposals have been criticised by unions and employers, who have said that what Dr Sant was proposing would create abuses and leave a negative impact.

After the Nationalist government had reduced the deficit and the people were now enjoying the fruit of that result, the Labour Party wanted to go back to the times when Dr Sant was Prime Minister and ended with a deficit. To make good for that deficit, Dr Sant had introduced 33 taxes.

Charles Mangion, the PN said, had shown on Bondiplus how the Labour Party was not serious and made promises without considering the impact of those promises. A fortnight ago, it added, Jason Micallef had not allowed Dr Mangion to take part in Bondiplus.

This week he did, and because Dr Mangion had done badly, Jason Micallef was protesting and calling for a remedy.