The travel ban on tourists coming to Malta without a vaccine certificate or a negative PCR test has been put into effect too late, Opposition Leader Bernard Grech said on Sunday.

Grech was asked by journalist Mark Laurence Zammit if he is pleased that Malta reached its herd immunity target last Monday, as Grech did not have a vociferous reaction to the announcement.

While reaching herd immunity is a good thing, Grech said, he expressed his disappointment that the travel ban on tourists who do not present a vaccine certificate or a negative PCR test was not put into effect earlier.

The PN has been advocating for this measure for months and Covid cases could have been under tighter control had health authorities announced the measure earlier, Grech said.

“We need to ensure that our sacrifices are not for nothing”, he added.

He stressed that the same measures also need to be put into place in ports in Malta, to ensure that anyone who may be carrying the virus is not allowed into the country.

Asked about the ban on DJ performances, Grech said that all DJs are receiving a “laugh in their face” from the government, as they believed they would be able to restart their services now for summer.

On this point, Grech added that mass events should not be taking place for now, so that the Maltese and Gozitans do not jeopardize the hard work and the sacrifices they have made over the course of the last year and a half.

Masks should be worn until the health authorities say otherwise, he said.

Water and electricity bills

“What should go back to the people will go back to the people”, Grech said, in relation to refunding the Maltese and Gozitan people who have been paying more than their share of utility bills since 2013.

On Saturday, hundreds of people turned up to the PN headquarters to register their utility bills with the Nationalist Party.

Speaking about the incident, Grech said that if the government fails to take action after the considerable turnout at the PN headquarters, it will be “comfortably stealing” from the public.

He pledged that €50 million will be refunded to members of the public who have been paying more than they should on utility bills. This refund will not only be given to people who attended the public call in person last Saturday, but will be given to all members of the public, whether they pledge their allegiance to the PN or otherwise.

Registration for anyone who wishes to benefit from the refund will be made available online as well as in person. In-person registration will be offered both in the PN headquarters in Malta and in Sannat in Gozo.

MaltaToday Survey

In light of a survey published by MaltaToday, showing that the Nationalist Party had a gap of almost 40,000 votes from the Labour Party to surmount, Grech said that the survey served as a “snapshot of the moment”, and was the result of a number of circumstances.

Firstly, Grech said the PN is not given the airtime it deserves on the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), meaning that “the PN’s message is not always reaching people justly”.

Secondly, people at the time may have felt that there was conflict in the Party in light of PN MPs Adrian Delia and Jason Azzopardi’s public spat on Facebook, which occurred in the same week that the survey results were published.

Grech stressed, however, that the PN is working together as a tight-knit unit for the good of the Maltese and Gozitans.

The Party is also keen to welcome new members, especially youths, so that its ideas are constantly challenged.

Carmelo Abela

“The allegations against Carmelo Abela are scary”, Grech said in light of Abela’s alleged involvement in the 2010 HSBC heist.

It is the obligation of Prime Minister Robert Abela and not the Nationalist Party, he said, to ensure that these allegations are looked into.

“When you have allegations that strong, you can’t stay in office until you clear your name”, he said.

The Prime Minister’s turning of a blind eye to these accusations, Grech said, is not only destroying Malta’s reputation on a national level, but also an international level.

Cannabis

In light of PN Spokesperson for the Elderly and Community Care Maria Deguara’s comments that many cannabis users have psychological issues or have a weak character, Grech said the PN does not share this view.

“I always insisted that the person should be in the centre of politics and whoever is abusing of drugs is a person too”, he said on the matter.

Anyone is abusing of drugs should be empathized with and taken care of, he said.

The PN’s public consultation is still on-going, he added, in order that a responsible decision be reached that reflects the interests of society.