Addressing the thousands of fired-up party supporters following speeches by Dr Falzon and deputy leader Charles Mangion, Labour leader Alfred Sant started off with the phrase “a better life”.

A large part of Dr Sant’s speech was dedicated to the so-called “Mistra scandal” involving Nationalist MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando.

The Labour leader said that had it not been for the MLP that revealed documents regarding this scandal on Saturday, Dr Pullicino Orlando would have been at the heart of another in the series of the Nationalist government’s scandals.

“The Labour Party is against arrogance, abuse and corruption,” said Dr Sant, adding, “We will adopt a zero tolerance attitude in the face of corruption”.

“Others seem to be happy to let corruption spread. (Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi) gonzipn defended each and every one of his ministers,” said the Labour leader, as he went on to give a whole list of the Nationalist ministers whom he said were involved in some case or other of corruption, abuse, or conflict of interest.

Dr Sant said Dr Gonzi said he would introduce so-called new people in a new Cabinet of ministers should the PN be re-elected to government.

Dr Pullicino Orlando is one of these so-called “new” people, who is very close to the prime minister, said Dr Sant, as he went on to mention architect Paul Camilleri, Dr Gonzi’s cousin who is also involved in the Mistra case.

“Did Mr Camilleri tell Dr Pullicino Orlando about the permit issued for the land he owned in Mistra? How could it possibly be that the Nationalist MP didn’t know about the permit? How could it be that he didn’t know whom he rented his land to? Who on earth would be ready to believe such a thing? ” asked the Labour leader.

He said the permit was initially for a disco with the capacity to hold 4,000 people, but the plan was then changed and the capacity of the disco doubled.

The Labour leader said the arrogance of the Nationalist government has exceeded every limit. He called on Dr Gonzi to explain how the permit was issued and added that Dr Pullicino Orlando himself admitted he had spoken to the prime minister about the case.

“But what did Dr Gonzi do? Did he send him to the police commissioner?” he asked, adding, “He sent him to the MLP’s press conference outside the premises of the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (Mepa) instead… have I become the police commissioner now?”

“The government seems to have become a government of fools,” said the Labour leader. He added that he would make public all he knew about Dr Pullicino Orlando and about the Mistra scandal.

He said there were other documents he could reveal, but he would not do so, because it would pose a threat on the people from whom he got the information.

This immediately led Dr Sant to the Whistleblower Act, which he said should have long been introduced by the Nationalist government.

He addressed Dr Pullicino Orlando, calling on him to be honest and admit that he was about to be drawn into a scandal, but was stopped short, thanks to the MLP’s revelation.

The Maltese want honest, clean politics, said Dr Sant, as he went on to speak about the Labour Party’s proposals to give people a better life.

“A better life… a tranquil change,” he said. A new Labour government would increase employment opportunities in the manufacturing industry, the financial and maritime services industry, the sector of information and communication technology, in Gozo, as well as the sectors of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), commerce, and agriculture and fisheries, said Dr Sant.

He mentioned the Labour Party’s cornerstone proposal to halve the surcharge on utility bills for households and SMEs who do not currently benefit from capping on bills (a refund would be given in the form of tax credits).

The Labour leader also mentioned the fact that the party planned to re-introduce the system by means of which workers would benefit from an off day to make up for public holidays falling on weekends.

“This would improve people’s standard of living,” he said before going on to speak about the health sector.

He repeated over and over again that said Dr Gonzi was a liar, having denied that the Nationalist Cabinet had discussed the possibility of introducing fees in the health care system. As he displayed the report revealed this week, Dr Sant said the prime minister was flabbergasted at the revelation.

“The MLP is different. We tell the truth,” he told the cheering crowd, concluding by mentioning other party proposals.

The MLP is promising to provide first-time property buyers with a 10 per cent grant on the price of their home and the interest rate on loans would not exceed 4.5 per cent, said Dr Sant.

“We will build a new Junior College, invest heavily in the university, sustain the stipends system, yes we will sustain the system,” he insisted.

“We care, we care for families, young people, children, the elderly. We will give everyone a better life, based on the principles of work, protection and dignity (“xoghol, harsien, dinjita’”).”