Yesterday kicked off the last round of election campaigning, the PN's morning activity in Mosta mostly focused on rebuttal of allegations made by the Malta Labour Party, as well as mention of allegations of tax irregularities by two former MLP cabinet members.

Various candidates spoke yesterday, but the most interesting speech came from MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando who accused Opposition Leader Alfred Sant of making cowardly attacks against him.

Dr Pullicino Orlando also announced that he was going to ask for a halt to the application by a person who leased land from him in Mistra, adding that he had nothing to hide or be ashamed of. He also called for Dr Sant to face him with the allegations in person, in reference to the shenanigans of Saturday. Dr Pullicino Orlando was irritated, to say the least, at the fact that Dr Sant made allegations about him in Mistra, when he was not present when he had two previous occasions to do so earlier in the day.

Dr Sant had said that Mepa had granted an outline permit for a discotheque in Mistra, which could take 4,000 people and be extended to double that capacity. He said the club would be built on land belonging to Dr Pullicino Orlando which lay outside the development zone. Dr Sant said he was sure that money had changed hands.

PN secretary Joe Saliba also spoke and said that he had learned that an internal investigation was going on at the MLP (in relation to the revelation of alleged tax irregularities by two former cabinet ministers). Mr Saliba urged the MLP to investigate, but to investigate claims that Charles Mangion and Karmenu Vella were involved in tax irregularities, not the leak itself.

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi kept up the tone, after greeting the crowd with his trademark personalised greeting for every venue. “Here we are meeting under the Mosta church, one of the most beautiful churches in Malta,” he said to appreciative cheering and applause. He took a minute to pay tribute to PN candidate Albert Rizzo who recently passed away. “He was a grand politician who always appealed to both sets of supporters. His name is going to remain on the PN's candidate list and the beauty of our system is that you can still vote for him because a vote for him is a vote for the PN,” he said.

Dr Gonzi's tone changed as he referred to the MLP's campaigning tactics. “I am disappointed at the low level of politics which Alfred Sant has stooped to. Dr Sant has been MLP leader for 16 years. In 16 years, he has ruined the Labour party, similar to the way in which a Labour government brought ruin to this country for the 16 years it was in office,” said Dr Gonzi.

“If I was a moderate Labour supporter, I would be worried. Look at the billboards; we are positive, we look forward and we put our proposals forward. All you see from the MLP, even in its billboard campaign, is mudslinging and twisting of facts. It's absolutely senseless,” he said.

Dr Gonzi said that the MLP leader was not man enough to investigate his deputy leader who, he said, had undeclared income tax issues dating back to when he was a cabinet minister. “There were also tax issues related to Dr Sant some years back,” said the Prime Minister.

Dr Gonzi said that the achievements of the PN government over the past five years speak for themselves. He said that tax cuts had been of benefit to all strata of society from the self-employed, to professionals, young married couples and the ordinary worker. “We did not do it so people clap for us. Clapping does not feed us. We did it because we know that every time we put money into people's pockets responsibly, and when the economy can allow, it gives results. It translates into the things that matter, jobs and investment,” said Dr Gonzi.

He said that Malta was an attractive destination for foreign investment and that has led to the creation of 20,000 jobs in the past five years. “If we are re-elected, within 24 hours, we will be working to keep on that track,” said Dr Gonzi. The day's schedule was tough and the Prime Minister concluded the discussion on the stroke of midday. “It's a busy day, the bells have chimed midday and it's time to stop. I hope to see you all at the mass meeting in Floriana,” concluded Dr Gonzi.

PN candidate Beppe Fenech Adami spoke, saying that Saturday was an important day and that people had the right, and indeed the duty, to vote. “There is a gulf in the differences between the PN and the MLP's policies. The MLP has wasted its time in opposition and has now presented us with half-baked and dangerous proposals,” he said. He said that apart from the glaring proposals of the reception class and overtime payment rates, one could find calls for taxation of second properties, increased stamp duty and removal of the government bonus.

Another candidate, and another son of a former PN heavyweight, Mario de Marco said that at present, Malta was experiencing full employment, record lows of unemployment and a record of 20K jobs created in one year. “This is no coincidence, this is down to sound governance by the PN,” he said.

Parliamentary secretary Carm Mifsud Bonnici also addressed the crowd, saying that the PN had lead the country to success and the only way to continue this success would be by voting for the PN on 8 March.