Sant pays tribute to Mintoff

Labour leader Alfred Sant yesterday paid a brief but significant tribute to former party leader Dom Mintoff when addressing a crowd of supporters at Cottonera.

Mr Mintoff's vote on the Cottonera project had led to the downfall of the Labour government in 1998. Attempts at a reconciliation have been made since, and in his daily meetings called by Front Maltin Inqumu, the former Labour leader is now constantly calling on the people to vote Labour.

Dr Sant said to applause that Cottonera was where the principles of the Labour Party - those of freedom, employment and social justice - had been born with the assistance of leaders including Mr Mintoff.

He said that whenever he visited Cottonera he felt bad because he did not see anything of the project which Labour could have conducted. Cottonera had great potential because it was at the root of the country's history. The Labour Party, its principles and its leaders, he said, had been born out of Cottonera.

He said the people were facing crucial choices which would determine their future. Labour's commitment was towards a better future while the Nationalist Party's sole issue was the EU.

Dr Sant also addressed supporters at Zurrieq, where he said the country required a big change. This was also being acknowledged by people who did not agree with the party, he said.

People were fed up of the neglect and arrogance all around the country, and were finding it difficult to keep up with the cost of living. Big problems were being faced by the unemployed, young couples and the small self-employed. The country had stagnated with an administration that promised a lot but did not deliver.

He promised that if a new Labour government did not deliver what it was promising, he would be the first not to contest the next election.

Dr Sant said that a company wanted to develop land in the Qormi/Zebbug area and although the Malta Environment and Planning Authority had initially objected, permits were eventually issued with the result that speculators would be making a profit of Lm1 million from the said land.