Those who believe that everything was plain sailing when Alfred Sant was Prime Minister are greatly mistaken. Read the following quotations, which can be found on page 493 of Chronicle of 20th Century Malta by Joseph Sammut and Michael Cassar.

“New Gozo Ferry rates on February (1997) lead to protest by the GRTU”.

“The government’s second budget on 5 November includes increases in water and electricity tariffs, licence fees and the introducing of a sewage tax… It is claimed that water bills for the average household will double and some 98,000 homes will be affected by the sewage tax. A 50 cents fee to be paid on prescriptions…”

When Dr Sant was Prime Minister the price of crude oil was about 13 dollars per barrel.

Today it costs nearly 100 dollars per barrel.

“On 3 October education minister Evarist Bartolo proposes to amend the stipends system…. students oppose this proposal”.

Giov. DeMartino

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