Prime Minister Robert Abela said Thursday that the tender for a new mental health hospital and the expansion of the Emergency Department at Mater Dei Hospital has been awarded, with the contract expected to be signed "in the coming days," and implementation to follow.
Speaking during a political event in Mellieha, Abela also announced two new electoral proposals targeting elderly homeowners and self-employed workers, including a measure that would allow elderly people downsizing to smaller properties to benefit from stamp duty exemptions as if they were first-time buyers.
Abela said that elderly people who choose to sell their homes and move into smaller properties currently still have to pay stamp duty and have never benefited from existing schemes.
"These people never benefited from schemes. They had to struggle on their own," he said.
Under the proposed measure, elderly persons purchasing a smaller property would become exempt from paying stamp duty if Labour is re-elected, with the scheme placing them in a similar category to first-time buyers for tax purposes.
Abela said the proposal would form part of Labour's "Our Next Home" scheme.
He added that parents with more than one child, separated or divorced individuals, and elderly persons downsizing their homes would all be able to save up to €15,000 in stamp duty through the measure.
The Prime Minister also announced a second proposal targeting self-employed workers through a scheme called "SMEBoost."
Abela said self-employed workers currently pay social security contributions at a rate of 15%, compared to employees who effectively pay 10% because employers cover part of the contribution rate.
He said that self-employed workers do not benefit from the same level of support and said that "the time has come to provide them with greater assistance."
Under the proposal, self-employed workers would continue paying contributions at the 15% rate but would receive a cash grant intended to reduce their effective social security contribution rate to the equivalent of 10%.
Abela said the measure would amount to support equivalent to 5% of the declared salary, resulting in annual savings ranging from almost €630 to €1,450 at current rates.
The Prime Minister said this could translate into savings of up to €7,150 over the next legislature for some self-employed workers.
He added that the overall support package would amount to more than €20 million annually and exceed €100 million over five years.
Abela also said that despite the reduction in the effective contribution rate, self-employed workers would continue remaining entitled to the same pension rights as before.
"Even though the effective rate will decrease for the self-employed, they will still remain entitled to the same pension as before," Abela said.
Abela said Labour's electoral programme was the result of months of work and consultation with people from different sectors, including students and workers.
Abela said that the government has placed greater importance on the wellbeing index, arguing that electoral proposals must be financially sustainable and properly costed.
"We do not do costings cosmetically, but as part of a larger exercise," he said, adding that each proposal was assessed according to its cost, feasibility and long-term impact on the economy and public finances.
He said the government also analysed whether individual measures could negatively affect the implementation of other electoral pledges or future budgets.
"Every investment we make is calculated according to economic and financial parameters. If you spend recklessly, the deficit rises," he said.
Abela defended Labour's proposals as realistic and achievable, contrasting them with criticism from the PN.
He referred to Labour's proposal for a third annual tax cut through a €1,000 "super bonus," saying the PN had falsely claimed the payment would replace existing bonuses or be taxed.
"That is not true. It will not be taxed, and everyone who works will receive it," Abela said, adding that couples would receive the payment twice.
He also referred to increases in children's allowances, saying some families would receive supplements amounting to €2,250.
The Prime Minister spoke of a number of youth-focused proposals, including a 15% increase in stipends and a €1,000 Erasmus grant for students studying abroad.
Another already announced proposal would exempt the first €30,000 earned by young people entering the workforce from income tax for three consecutive years.
"The biggest is still to come," he added.
Abela said he felt a strong sense of responsibility to ensure Labour only promises measures that are genuinely feasible.
"I was entrusted with the people's trust, and with that comes the responsibility to deliver on what we promise," he said.
Referring to the property market, Abela said the government had continued strengthening home ownership schemes, noting that around eight in ten Maltese and Gozitans own their homes.
He said the government wanted to maintain and strengthen that figure through additional housing schemes.
Explaining the proposal related to elderly people downsizing their homes, Abela recounted meeting an elderly couple who told him they wanted to sell their large family home because it had become too big for them.
According to Abela, the couple explained that although they had never benefited from first-time buyer schemes, they would still have to pay stamp duty when purchasing a smaller property.
"Would it not make sense for elderly people who want to downsize to also benefit from first-time buyer schemes?" Abela said.
The Prime Minister also placed strong emphasis on family life and work-life balance, arguing that wellbeing goes beyond financial measures alone.
He said the wellbeing index is built around ten primary dimensions aimed at improving quality of life, including financial comfort, time management and family wellbeing.
"If we had not introduced financial comfort through tax cuts and more jobs since 2013, we would not even be discussing these measures today," he said.
Abela spoke of Labour's proposals aimed at giving families more time together, including an extension of maternity leave, the doubling of paternity leave and six months of fully paid parental leave.
He also announced an additional 28 days of fully paid leave during a child's second year, funded entirely by the government without imposing costs on employers.
The Prime Minister said a future Labour government would also immediately begin discussions with stakeholders on introducing a new right for private sector workers to request flexible working arrangements.
These would include flexitime, compressed working weeks and remote working arrangements. Abela said employers offering remote working arrangements would be eligible for a €1,000 incentive.
He argued that similar arrangements within the public service had not negatively affected productivity or performance indicators.
"We should put the word populism aside," Abela said.
Discussing healthcare proposals, Abela referred to support for adults travelling abroad for medical treatment. He said the proposal emerged following meetings with Maltese families in London and would build on existing collaboration with voluntary organisations such as Puttinu Cares.
Abela said the government already covers the expenses of individuals undergoing treatment abroad, as well as parents accompanying minors, but Labour now wants to also cover the expenses of companions accompanying adult patients.
"You have to put yourself in the shoes of someone going through suffering. That is where empathy comes in," he said.
On housing affordability, Abela defended Labour's existing property schemes, including equity sharing arrangements, deposit assistance and stamp duty exemptions.
He said the government had continuously expanded eligibility for such schemes, including measures benefiting separated or divorced couples, who under Labour's proposals would also continue being treated similarly to first-time buyers when entering a new phase of life.
"You cannot promise everything to everyone," Abela said, insisting that all measures must remain sustainable.
Abela meanwhile sharply criticised the PN's economic proposals and costings, questioning the PN's credibility and competence.
Referring to comments made by PN MP Adrian Delia on the PN's proposed widening of tax bands, Abela said that the PN's financial calculations did not add up.
He claimed the PN had estimated the measure would cost between €110 million and €130 million annually despite saying workers would save at least €1,200 each.
According to Abela, multiplying those figures by Malta's workforce would place the real cost closer to between €360 million and €400 million.
"They are not even capable of costing a measure, let alone implementing it," he said.
Abela argued that such proposals would fail to satisfy European fiscal rules and would ultimately remain "a dream in the air."
He contrasted this with Labour's proposed "super bonus", which he said was carefully designed as a non-taxable payment while excluding large numbers of foreign workers from eligibility.
The Prime Minister also accused the PN of publishing inaccurate costings for its proposed fuel hub project.
"They will promise everything to everyone, but there is one thing they cannot promise: credibility and competence," Abela said.
Addressing undecided voters, Abela said that Labour would avoid entering what he described as a "political auction" of unrealistic pledges.
"My conscience does not allow me to promise things recklessly when after 30 May I may be entrusted to lead the country," he said.
Abela said Labour's proposals had been carefully discussed internally with ministers to ensure they remained financially sustainable even during periods of crisis.
"This election starts at 0-0, and it is one of the most difficult and sensitive elections," he said, urging voters to continue trusting Labour's economic management and implementation record.