MLP delegates to vote for more euro election candidates

The Labour Party will hold another general conference on February 27 to elect more candidates for the European parliament elections, MLP leader Alfred Sant said yesterday.

Speaking about the outcome of Wednesday's extraordinary general conference which gave the go-ahead to the party to hold another election for the selection of Labour candidates, Dr Sant said nominations would be received over six days from Monday.

The conference is subject to confirmation by the MLP's executive, he said.

Up to four candidates have to be selected by the conference so that the MLP could have eight candidates for the election in June. The first four were chosen at a general conference in November when they were the only ones to overcome the 70 per cent approval hurdle. Candidates in the new election also have to achieve the support of 70 per cent of the delegates to be successful.

All of the 694 delegates attending the extraordinary general conference on Wednesday cast their vote - 546 voted in favour, 133 were against, 11 were invalid and there were four abstentions.

The motion included an amendment by delegate Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici which reminded delegates that a motion approved in November urged the party to work to minimise the negative aspects of the package negotiated by the government for EU membership.

Dr Sant also gave details about the demonstration being held by the MLP in Hamrun on Sunday, saying its purpose was to raise awareness about the social and economic crisis facing the country and to insist on the drawing up of an action plan.

The demonstration starts from St Joseph High Street, Sta Venera proceeding along the main street of Hamrun to the Mile End where participants will be addressed by party deputy leaders Charles Mangion and Michael Falzon and by Dr Sant. It starts at 3 p.m.

At the end of the demonstration, participants will be asked to approve a motion highlighting the need for the government to recognise that the country was going through a social and economic crisis.

Dr Sant said Sunday's demonstration would be the first in a series of public manifestations.

"It is impossible to make progress towards a social pact in the absence of an acknowledgement by the government of the problems that exist in the country," Dr Sant said.

Dr Sant said the MLP agreed with a suggestion by the general secretary of the Union Haddiema Maghqudin, Gejtu Vella that it should meet members of the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development (MCESD) to exchange ideas on the situation in the country. The MLP does not attend MCESD meetings.

Dr Sant said the problem was that the government was not accepting that there was some form of crisis. So it was impossible to coordinate any joint action. "The social partners are insisting there is a crisis, the MLP agrees, but the government is blaming the situation on restructuring and globalisation," he said.

Dr Sant said the MLP wanted three organisations that were not included in the MCESD to also participate in the proposed talks - the Pensioners' Association, the Gozo Business Chamber and representatives of the financial services sector.

MCESD chairman Victor Scicluna wrote to Dr Sant on Wednesday referring to the latter's exchange with Mr Vella and expressing his wish to hold more discussions.

Dr Sant said he intended to meet Mr Scicluna to see what could come out of Mr Vella's proposal.

The MLP is holding a round table discussion on Saturday with constituted bodies to discuss social and economic problems. Dr Sant said he would introduce the meeting and then party representatives would hear what members of the constituted bodies had to say.