Opposition Leader Bernard Grech said Thursday that the difference between a Labour government and a Nationalist one is that Labour is a government of statistics, while the PN is a government of the people.

Speaking in an interview with Times of Malta journalist Mark Lawrence Zammit, as part of the PN's activities ahead of Independence Day, Grech was asked a multitude of questions regarding the country's economy, and a possible PN in government, with him as Prime Minister.

He was first asked how he felt when he learnt that former PN MP Karl Gouder had passed away, to which he emotionally said that the sorrow was huge, as if he had lost someone from his family.

"Gouder was a member of this beautiful family working every day for the benefit of the country. It was also a loss for good decisions and planning he had, the impact of which we are absorbing, but fills us with courage and determination to work harder to implement Karl's plans on his behalf," Grech said.

On a question about Prime Minister Robert Abela giving an indication to the media that there was a connection between Gouder's death and alleged threats he had received beforehand, Grech said that while the PN had no proof, it immediately strengthened Gouder's family's call for information, and invited Abela to go to the inquiring magistrate if he knows anything.

Yesterday, Finance Minister Clyde Caruana said that Malta's economy has continued and will continue to grow, the country's employment rate is the second highest, its deficit is decreasing, and government is collecting €200 million more in taxes this year, all the while keeping food and energy subsidy support.

Given all this, Zammit asked Grech if it should be expected that people vote Labour.

"Ask the people if their economy has grown, if their quality of life has gotten better," Grech said, adding that a Labour government is one of statistics, while a PN one is for the people.

Grech said the Labour government failed to invest in the health sector, maximise what it can do to control high cost of living, and has kept taxes on the Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA).

"A PN government will push economic growth, but it must be translated into people's lives. Are patients in our hospitals being better served? Are persons with disabilities being helped enough?" Grech said, adding that growing the economy is not enough, growth must help the people's wellbeing and quality of life.

He questioned why youths are leaving the country if things are going so well, and why the majority of businesses say that the country is moving in the wrong direction.

Grech quoted the Chamber of Commerce's pre-Budget document, titled "Time Up," where the largest businesses investing in Malta's economy are saying that there is the need for a change in the economic model, and for further planning and reform.

Zammit asked Grech if he would grow the economy at the same rate as the Labour government is doing if he was Prime Minister.

He gave a guarantee that under a PN government, investment will continue towards the country's economy, all the while addressing infrastructure, which the current government "abandoned."

Grech said that several businesses and employers have reiterated the largest existing problem: that government is not clear on its vision.

"Its only vision is to increase population without investing in the infrastructure. The PN will give a clear direction on the type of vision and economic model we would have," Grech said.

He was asked what he would do concretely to change the economic model, to which he said that the PN in government had created many economic pillars which continue to thrive today, and it will continue to do so in the direction of innovation, productivity, sustainability, prioritising the environment, as well as create quality jobs, support trade and value added jobs, and digital transformation.

"Government is satisfied with mediocrity. We want to go to the direction of quality," Grech said.

If you're Prime Minister, will there be less buildings? Grech said that everyone must understand that the country should focus on the types of buildings, as well as their efficiency, and development which is not at the cost of the citizen.

He said that there needs to be a clear direction on where to invest in buildings, what materials to use, the standards to adhere by as well as by incentivising, giving support and benefits.

Grech mentioned AI as a way to address traffic in the country, as well as having a more efficient road network which is less dangerous, and by encouraging other modes of transportation other than the private vehicle.

He also said that certain small court cases could be heard by-district, rather than everyone from around the country having to go to Valletta for a hearing.

Grech said that a Labour government has tried addressing traffic by widening roads or constructing flyovers, which is affecting the people's quality of life, as well as increased pollution, and no guarantee that one's agenda will be done on time.

He was asked about overpopulation and excess foreigners, where Grech said that the problem is not just the overpopulation, but that government imported thousands of people without investing in infrastructure.

"We remained with the same systems and infrastructure, we increased drainage thrown at sea, and government did nothing to assure this would not happen. Our country's population must move towards more innovation, and not by bringing more people from abroad," Grech said.

He continued that the Labour government accepted and facilitate all types of people from abroad, even those not skilled enough, and only now did government adopt a skills-policy when the PN spoke up.

Grech said that even Clyde Caruana said that there is a problem, and only Abela feels differently.

"I expect that Caruana, in the next Budget, tells us that our country's economic model will change, and how, otherwise it will be just a piece of paper," Grech said.

Grech was asked how he approaches businesses who want to help the PN, after the party achieved a positive result in the last elections. Zammit said that businessmen would have an ulterior motive, for Grech to eventually help them if he became Prime Minister.

He said that the question implies that the current government works this way, and added that he believes that the absolute majority of Maltese businesses in Malta are good, only wanting a level playing field to move forward.

"I give the guarantee that nobody under my leadership would take advantage of another. We believe in moving forward with your own thoughts and investments, and we, in turn, are obligated to creating a level playing field," Grech said, adding that with a PN government, businesses may feel safe that their business would not be betrayed by some shady deal.

Asked about corruption, even in previous PN administrations, Grech said that while nobody is perfect, he gave the guarantee that he can decide without anyone's control, contrary to the Prime Minister, who had to make compromises with his predecessors to defend them.

Grech was asked if he would fire persons in positions of trust in the public sector, to which he said that those who have participated in rackets and scandals would need a "clean sweep."

He said that those who are competent at their jobs have nothing to worry about, as there are several and they will be incentivised to keep working and growing. Grech pointed out that competence can come from the other political colour.

Grech agreed that Ministers and MPs should have higher wages, as currently, the wage of the Prime Minister is a third of that of a CEO of a private company.

Grech said that more value needs to be added to the job, but understood people's reserves in entering politics, as "they dirtied politics in these 11 years, making it seem like all politicians are the same. We are not."

He said that as Prime Minister, he would assure that there would be proper financing of parties, as well as attracting more people into politics, and including a technical backup.

Grech said that due to sophisticated and detailed laws and directives of the EU, the country needs more technical people as backups, so as not to have to "beg" for help from abroad.

He also said he had no problems in starting a logbook whereby everything a Minister does, including who he speaks to, is recorded.

Grech congratulated Glenn Micallef in his appointment as Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport, but said that Prime Minister Abela himself only commended the fact that Micallef is young.

He said that there were several portals who said that Malta lost out on more important and influential decision-making portfolios, due to Robert Abela.

Grech was asked about the PN criticising government for appointing family members in certain positions, when President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola "did the same" when appointed her brother-in-law as her Chief of Cabinet.

He defended Metsola and said that her brother-in-law has been in similar roles before Metsola even became President, and even before he became her brother-in-law.

"As long as they are competent and truly have the skills, there should be no problem," Grech said.

Asked if he will be winning the next general election, Grech said that the next election will be won by the Maltese and Gozitan public who when at a crossroads, chooses the Nationalist Party after recognizing that the current government has finished.

Asked if the public would still win if Labour is once again elected, Grech said that if the public votes Labour, it means it is sovereign, and the PN will respect the public's decision just as it did in the past elections.

He was asked what the PN will do in the next two or three years to acquire enough votes to win, to which he acknowledged that the PN has increased its votes by 11,000, while the PL lost, 20,000, and said that the PN will continue working in the coming months, consulting with people, increasing its credibility and working in the right direction to win the election, as well as continue with its work today.