Labour leader 'hears' of possible job losses at Air Malta

Opposition leader Alfred Sant said yesterday he had "heard" there could be imminent job losses from subsidiary companies of Air Malta, adding that the Labour Party would be defending workers and their families through parliament, through the media and through public manifestations.

The government was using the term globalisation as it best suited it, at one time labelling globalisation as a good thing and in other instances calling it an unsavoury development.

The truth was that the local economic downturn was the result of bad governance and now the government was passing the burden of this failure onto the people for them to carry.

Speaking during a discussion meeting at the Labour Party club in Paola, Dr Sant argued that the challenges facing the country had to be tackled in the name of the workers and not in the interests of "friends of friends".

The meeting departed from the old format where Dr Sant spoke for most of the time. Instead, Dr Sant and other speakers fielded a question each by Amanda Spiteri, a member the Super One newsroom.

The meeting was the first in a series opening the campaign for the local council elections as well as the June European parliament elections. Dr Sant argued that tourism, which could serve as the motor that drove the economy, was in a disastrous state. The industry could help the country move away from the abyss the government had led the country to. All the government ministers should be committed to achieve this aim.

He said the MLP could not care less who the next prime minister or the next president would be. "What the Labour Party cares about is what the future will bring for the workers," he insisted.

"The Labour Party has to show it fully backs the General Workers' Union in its work.

"Once the MLP general conference gives the signal, we will take to the streets to show we are there to defend workers," Dr Sant said.

Deputy leader Michael Falzon said the MLP had to be clear about its vision while bearing in mind its origins.

The MLP had socialist, left wing and democratic values, all of which were the very reason for the party's existence. In order to achieve its aims, the party had to convince the majority of the electorate to lend it their support.

"The greatest economic wealth for the country had been achieved by Labour governments. They were not perfect governments but they were honest and sincere. The MLP has to face the coming elections with commitment, sincerity and conviction," Dr Falzon added.