Politicians bound to serve their county not their agenda
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi yesterday said that politicians are bound to serve their country and not their personal agendas, adding that Thursday’s party executive would see important decisions being taken.
In the passing of divorce legislation, MPs were granted a free vote, said Dr Gonzi. But the situation in recent important parliamentary votes was totally different, as some government MPs voted with the Opposition – even though they had been instructed to toe the party line.
The PN leader said that important decisions will be taken on Thursday when the party executive is scheduled to meet, to discuss recent political developments.
The executive will also examine a request by rebel backbencher Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando, calling for the expulsion of party strategist and outgoing Permanent Representative to Brussels Richard Cachia Caruana. He added that everyone must shoulder the responsibilities for their actions.
The PN leader gave this warning during an interview broadcast on Radio 101 yesterday morning, but recorded on Friday. Dr Gonzi accused the Opposition leader of adopting a populist approach. He said that Muscat’s behaviour in Parliament on Wednesday was a clear example of this attitude when he walked out of the chamber to attend a reception while Dr Gonzi was replying to his (Dr Muscat’s) earlier questions relating to the recent EU Summit. The Prime Minister remarked that this incident highlights that Dr Muscat’s priorities are totally wrong and designed to suit his needs, rather than the national interest.
Dr Gonzi stated that even on the issue of illegal migration, the Opposition leader is taking a populist approach. He drew attention to Dr Muscat’s statements in recent years, when among other things, he had suggested that the Maltese government should follow the lead of Italy and leave migrants stranded in open seas without going to their aid. Regarding the recent influx, he said that the Armed Forces are doing their utmost to help migrants in distress, even though there have been incidents including one last Thursday when aid was refused by the migrants. He added that in these cases, the authorities continued to monitor the situation and sometimes had to intervene, as was the case last Thursday when shortly after making contact, the boat began taking on water.
According to the Prime Minister our values can go hand in hand with defending the national interest, as the government was shouldering its responsibilities while pressuring the EU to show more solidarity. However these diplomatic efforts had mixed results with the United States being the most forthcoming, taking over 1,000 refugees in recent years while EU member states have been dragging their feet.
On the issue of the fuel price hike, the Prime Minister accused Dr Muscat of putting the blame solely on the government even though he is aware that the international markets are to blame. He added that Muscat’s populist attitude was also on show when he joined the GWU some years ago, in protesting against the privatisation of the drydocks. Dr Gonzi stated that the Labour leader does not have the courage to admit that some years ago he was wrong when he had urged the government to follow the steps of the Cypriot economic model, which is now in trouble.
During the interview, the PN leader warned that contrary to what is being claimed by its new image, the PL is still resorting to old practices and filing court applications to try and get people struck off the electoral register. “The PN has consistently tried to ensure that more people can enjoy their right to vote, even those who are living abroad due to work commitments or personal circumstances” remarked the Prime Minister.
Touching on job creation, Dr Gonzi referred to a recent Eurostat release, which confirmed that unemployment in Malta is on the decrease, contrary to the EU trend. He attributed this success, to “the government’s bold decisions of recent years” which resulted in 20,000 jobs since 2008, and an increase of 3,000 in those gainfully occupied in the last year. The Prime Minister heaped praise on micro enterprises which are the driving force in job creation, while reminding that these have benefited from a series of fiscal incentives and aid packages. On the school leavers’ rate, Dr Gonzi remarked that since 2003 those opting for post secondary education increased from 43% to 73%, with the government aiming to reach the 80% mark. He added that stipends and investment in new facilities are intended to bridge this gap.
According to the Prime Minister, more people have money to spend following a series of measures such as income tax reductions including the one announced in this year’s budget, from which 55,000 parents are benefitting. He also referred to tax holidays for mothers returning to work, and energy benefits for those most vulnerable.
In conclusion the Prime Minister promised that the PN will remain close to the people, in the same manner it has managed to keep in touch in recent years. He stated that job creation will remain the utmost priority.