We are now in the final week leading up to voting day, where politicians will be scrambling to convince as many voters as possible that they are the right person to represent them in Parliament for the next five years.

Last week saw Prime Minister Robert Abela and Opposition Leader Bernard Grech go head-to-head twice in front of the country’s business community, in a Q&A session with the Chamber of SMEs and a debate at the Malta Chamber of Commerce.

While the war in Ukraine still overshadowed the political campaigns here in Malta, the political race started to heat up, as certain decisions made by the parties caused controversy.

One such issue was the PL’s proposal regarding mandatory union membership discussions, another was the PN’s trackless tram.

Aside from this, the cheques issued by the government to the public also came under scrutiny, with allegations that the government was trying to influence voters by issuing them so close to an election.

The PN has also yet to publish the costings of its electoral manifesto, a point which the PL has used as ammunition against the party.

A number of other issues grabbed headlines, including a highly controversial statement by former Parliamentarian Joe Debono Grech, that was quickly condemned by the Prime Minister, as well as news of the termination benefits Rosianne Cutajar received for stepping down as Parliamentary Secretary.

With just days to go until the election, the parties don’t want to make any more missteps.

Cheques and support

The public received two cheques from the government last week. One was a tax rebate and the other was a stimulus cheque.

Finance Minister Clyde Caruana did not exclude that, if need be, it will give more financial hand-outs later in the year, given the effects of the developing situation in Ukraine.

But these cheques were criticised by the PL’s political rivals, not for the idea of the cheques themselves, but due to the timing of their release to the public. To issue these cheques so close to an election was being seen as a move to try and manipulate voters.

Opposition Leader Bernard Grech had said that he does not believe in the style of politics where cheques are sent on the eve of an election. “Help should be given whenever needed and cannot be used as a token for votes,” Grech said. The PN accused the PL of bad governance on this issue.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Robert Abela said that the government cannot postpone decisions that are going to help people and stressed that this was not a gimmick. He argued that the people needed support.

The PL’s move saw independent candidate Arnold Cassola report the Prime Minister and Finance Minister to the Electoral Commission, saying they were breaching the electoral law. Cassola said that the distribution of cheques to compensate for the cost of living on the eve of an election amounts to “corrupt practices.”

The PL also highlighted a pledge last week to support communities. It promised to create a socio-economic plan, identifying localities that need assistance and providing them with the finances to improve their local economy, in order to aid their economic recovery from Covid.

The PN, meanwhile, continued to stress the importance of its ten new economic sectors to support Malta’s economy.

 

Costings?

One major issue the PN is facing is its lack of costings over its electoral manifesto.

Opposition Leader Bernard Grech has said time and again that they will ‘soon’ be issuing the documents. But, there is now under a week to go. Publishing at the last minute is a bit unfair on voters.

Prime Minister Robert Abela has pointed this out on more than one occasion, using it as political ammunition against his rival.

Debates

The first time the Prime Minister and Opposition Leader met last week was at a Q&A session organised by the Chamber of SMEs. Here, the two political leaders vied to get the support of people operating in the business sector.

One of the main issues brought up was the struggle businesses are facing with banks. Chamber of SMEs officials said that the bureaucracy businesses are facing with banks is causing issues. Reacting to this, Abela said that he sometimes feels like he is losing his patience with banks. “While I understand the importance of the regulatory aspect and understand that banks increased due diligence and their scrutiny processes, which is good and is needed, there is extra bureaucracy which I frankly struggle to understand.” One of the PL’s manifesto proposals he said, is to introduce the right to a bank account for businesses and the self-employed.

Finance Minister Clyde Caruana had said, separately, that banks are taking too long to open accounts for businesses.

Grech took aim at Abela during that session on the banking issues are caused by Malta’s greylisting. “It is a reality we face, and we were not placed on the list by coincidence, but due to the way the government operates.” He said that the increased bureaucracy was caused by the PL.

The country’s grey listing was also in the news again as the Prime Minister confirmed that the FATF’s on-site visit to Malta will take place in April.

The second time the two leaders met last week was at the Malta Chamber of Commerce debate.

Both leaders also sparred during this session. Abela had a message for all politicians contesting under the Labour Party banner, that the principles of righteousness and integrity must be what guides them in their work. Grech took aim at the Prime Minister over these statements, highlighting the cheques that the government handed out recently so close to the election. "Is this good governance?"

Both leaders also pledged to keep subsidising energy costs due to the rising international prices which are a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Mandatory union membership

One of the major points in the campaign over the last week was the PL’s flip-flopping over its mandatory union membership proposal.

One proposal in the Labour Party’s general election manifesto stipulates how the party is, in principle, in favour of making membership in a trade union mandatory and that the party would seek to start discussions to that end within the MCESD.

This caused The Malta Employers Association, the Chamber of Commerce and the Chamber of SMEs to call for the immediate withdrawal of this PL’s proposal. Among other things, they argued that forcing workers to join a union goes against workers’ rights and is also unconstitutional.

The Labour Party immediately began backtracking on the proposal. Abela stressed that the proposal is just to hold a discussion. Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne said that the mandatory union membership proposal on the PL’s electoral programme does not force workers to join a union, but rather it seeks to protect the rights of workers who “fear joining a union,” he said.

Abela later said that this proposal came to be as there are workers whose working conditions render them vulnerable, and that the government has a social duty to protect these workers. “We must do this in agreement with employers and this is why I am looking forward to this discussion.” Further asked about this issue, Abela said that “the rule is that workers will always be given the right that if they do not want to join a trade union, that right naturally will remain.” But then, pressed again and asked whether, if elected, the decision might be taken with the MCESD not to implement it, he said: “I am convinced that in the MCESD, as we reached agreement on crucial issues for the leadership of the country in the most difficult times, we will reach agreement on this proposal.” The PL’s position on this is still not entirely clear.

Grech has also taken some flak as the PN had proposed mandatory union membership for those workers earning less than the average wage (median wage) in its pre-budget document last year. During this election, however, Grech has said that it is not acceptable to force workers to join a union, thus also showing a u-turn on the issue.

Trackless tram

The PN’s trackless tram proposal was targeted this week, where the party contradicted itself.

News reports read that PN MP Ryan Callus said that the trackless tram would see arterial roads from where it will pass narrowed to a single lane.

Just a few days later, however, PN MP Toni Bezzina contradicted Callus, saying that no existing traffic lanes will be lost despite the trackless tram requiring a dedicated lane.

This has resulted in confusion about the issue and many questions have been raised as to how the trackless tram proposal would work.

PN Leader Bernard Grech said that the tram is the solution that makes sense. He did not exclude that, where needed, they will dig a tunnel or an underpass when faced with arterial roads which are narrow.

Joe Debono Grech

Former PL Minister Joe Debono Grech, when speaking during a political activity organised by Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri, admitted that the party is corrupt but that people had “gained something from it”. Debono Grech had said that the PL was with the “good thief”.

This caused a bit of a headache for the Labour Party last week.

Prime Minister Robert Abela quickly denounced Debono Grech, saying that the PL had renewed itself to eliminate “that kind of speech”. Prime Minister said he (Abela) was “no thief”.

Golden handshake

It emerged that PL MP Rosianne Cutajar was paid €28,000 in termination benefits from public funds for her resignation from the post of Parliamentary Secretary after she was involved in a scandal concerning a property transfer including Yorgen Fenech.

Abela was confronted about this, and made a somewhat strong statement about the issue. He indicated that he did not agree with the €28,000 termination package given to Rosianne Cutajar, saying such practices are “not compatible” in the case of cabinet members who resign after being involved in a scandal. “We inherited a system where a cabinet member – Francis Zammit Dimech – got two termination packages. I will not refer to the past. We must see how we can do things better. We will be carrying out changes as I feel that, in circumstances like these, it is not compatible that one receives a termination package,” Abela said.

Property and developers

The PL and PN sparred over property last week.

Prime Minister Robert Abela “categorically and absolutely” denied that he received any donations during a dinner he had with Gozitan contractors. This, after news reports revealed that Abela was the “guest of honour” at a dinner organised by Gozitan construction mogul Joe Portelli. The event was held a week before his mega-development in Sannat was approved by the PA.

Abela confirmed that he had met with the contractors, “just like I meet with sections of the Gozitan business community every Saturday.” But he categorically denied that he or any of those accompanying him had taken any donations. He also denied that he had discussed planning permits during the dinner.

Abela also reacted to news reports that he purchased his 2,200sqm Zejtun ODZ villa in 2017 just three months after it was regularised by the PA. Abela denied that he had interfered in any way in the planning process and said, when he purchased the property, all the relevant permits had already been issued.

The PM took aim at Bernard Grech over the latter’s property. He said Grech had boasted of having had built his home with his own hands. “Now it has turned out that he had built the property illegally and when he contested for the PN leadership tried to sanction the illegalities and he was granted the permit.” Grech denied the claims, and a PN spokesperson argued that Grech’s case involved only minor internal alterations and slight additions. This was in reference to a sanctioning application that Grech had filed at the time.

The two also sparred over property development in general.

The Nationalist Party had pledged to tackle the issue of excessive development in Malta, saying the matter has significantly reduced the quality of people’s lives.

The Prime Minister, meanwhile, said that since it’s been in government, the Labour Party did not implement any planning policies which increased construction development around the country. He described the 2006 rationalisation exercise as the act which has caused the greatest environmental to Malta this century. He said, the government’s “new priority” is to protect the environment, while allowing the economic wheel to turn. He said that the planning authorities need to apply their policies in such a manner that it is within the context of the government’s new environmental priorities.

Meanwhile, ADPD - The Green Party spokespersons Carmel Cacopardo and Luke Caruana called for an immediate halt to the destruction of Gozo.

Electoral Favours

Abela was also asked last week about a story regarding a Labourite who boasted on the social media of assisting “Labourite brothers” to expedite their medical interventions.

“If a situation occurred in which someone was given a favour, I condemn such behaviour,” Abela said.