Tuesday evening saw the continuation of the Budget Measure Implementation Bill’s second reading. Carrying on from the previous day, Labour’s main spokesman on Education, Youth and Culture Carmelo Abela, pressed on about whether tax allocations to government projects are being properly spent. Taking education as an example, he said that in 2006, 16.6 per cent less was spent from the sum allocated. This year, the unspent figure is much larger, and for 2008 it is projected to increase by 14 per cent, he said.

“Students are not getting as much as they are promised. Our capital expenditure is the lowest in Europe.”

Commenting on the Lisbon Agenda outcomes and how Malta had underachieved in this respect, Mr Abela said that the Malta Labour Party’s Plan for a New Beginning, does not only target to achieve these aims but to exceed them.

Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business and Self Employed Edwin Vassallo began his intervention with a prolonged introduction, stressing that voters have a choice, yet must look to the party that “has the capability of creating sustainability and implementing ideas.” The government has passed its economic exam with honours, he said, having received the “EU stamp of approval” with its consent for euro adoption. He then quoted Lino Spiteri’s book, Jiena u Ghaddej fil-Politika – Gabra ta’ Memorji, and persistently questioned whether Labour had examined its “false” promises to the people.

MLP’s main spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and IT Leo Brincat criticised the budget, saying it was one of miscalculation – one that shows a crisis on the government’s part.

“The Nationalist government has chosen to benefit the party and not the country. I think the Prime Minister is being politically naïve in thinking that not announcing the election date will get the country out of ‘election mode’.”

Mr Brincat also criticised PBS for ending up like NET TV, and said that Lou Bondi seems to have become a porta voce for the Nationalist Party. “The national station is being manipulated by its director and by Dr Austin Gatt’s Ministry. If this is not a state of panic, I have yet to prepare myself for worse.”

He also criticised the government’s stance on consumer protection and its election-oriented propaganda, as well as the veil of mystery which shrouds the Price Stability Agreement. He ended by asking a number of pertinent questions, and saying he took solace in the fact that the populace is intelligent enough to come to its own conclusions. “Competitiveness and Communications Minister Censu Galea voiced disapproval of the MLP’s tactics of personal attacks and manipulation of the judicial system with the use of its base media. Answering questions raised by Mr Brincat regarding Maltese students who use the internet and the fact that only 23 per cent of Maltese youths have high computer skills (the lowest percentage in Europe), he said it was a Labour government that had hindered the development of this sector.

He said that the MLP had voted against the Communications Bill, saying it would be detrimental to jobs. It is only due to the Nationalist Party in government that this sector has made leaps and bounds, he said. Minister Galea turned the spot light onto the National Reform Programme, focusing on the Competition Sector and Consumer Protection, particularly in light of the increase in Cereal prices.

“We have the obligation to be fair to both consumers as well as retailers, ensuring fairness to both.”

He also emphasised that the budget measures will boost the number of women in the workforce; resulting from the fact that more than half the university students are women. He said he was sure that the number of women at MCAST would increase as well.

The debate was continued yesterday.