MLP protest carcade

A "national protest" which the Labour Party had planned to hold on the Floriana granaries was called off because of inclement weather yesterday but carcades from MLP clubs to Hal Far were held instead.

The sudden switch of venue, announced just after midday and relayed on the party's radio, led to hundreds of cars converging on the former airfield, even as the sun finally crept out from behind the clouds which had produced hailstorms in various localities in the morning.

Leader Alfred Sant and the party leadership arrived at Hal Far at 3.40 p.m. on a coach that left in a carcade from the MLP headquarters in Hamrun. Many supporters got stuck in traffic jams and heard the speeches via radio.

In his speech, from a hastily erected stage, Dr Sant said Malta was in an economic and social crisis and the people were protesting because they had been deceived. The government was delivering the opposite of what it had promised.

The Nationalist Party had promised, in its electoral programme, that public finances would be on a firm footing, there would be job security, a more secure future for farmers and fishermen and a stronger business sector.

But, instead, since the 2003 general election the government had introduced a higher rate of VAT, an extension of VAT to 400 new products, greater deductions from the pension entitlements of people in state old people's homes, new taxes on inherited property and on second hand cars and higher prices for cigarettes, gas cylinders, fuel, public transport, bread, the Gozo ferry service and the telephone service.

Malta now also had the so-called eco tax, the VRT had been extended, there was a 17 per cent surcharge on water and electricity, there was a three per cent duty on mobile telephony and a higher airport passenger departure tax.

Many people, Dr Sant said, were suffering real hardship and could not make ends meet. Unemployment had grown and was persisting. People were getting disheartened.

The people were protesting because despite all this, the government was carrying on regardless, with mistaken spending decisions such as those at Air Malta and Maltapost, the purchase of the new Gozo ferries, the excessive spending on the new hospital where millions of liri had ended up in somebody's pockets, the investment in the bankrupt Brindisi harbour and Dar Malta in Brussels. And it was the workers who were being made to carry the burdens.

The opposition was being prudent, even when the government wanted to reduce the workers' leave, but it was giving notice to Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi that reducing workers' holidays would not solve the country's problems and the government would not deceive the people a second time.

The government needed to cut its spending and its waste, instil financial accountability and bring in check those people who had no qualms about spending millions on Dar Malta but then would not give medicines to those who were 75 years old.

There was need for seriousness in the government. The opposition would continue to criticise the government. It would back the unions, particularly the General Workers' Union, in their defence of the workers and over the coming months the MLP would also come up with new proposals for economic and social revival.

His appeal to supporters, Dr Sant said, was to remain united in their love for the country. The country had the talents to build on its past and create new success but the protest would continue.

The protest had not been held on the granaries because the weather was unkind to the elderly or those who wished to bring their children along. Yesterday's was the first part of a twin protest. Next Sunday, carnival, would be Dr Gonzi's day, but the MLP would hold another protest on February 13 on the Floriana granaries, Dr Sant said.

Other speakers were deputy leaders Charles Mangion and Michael Falzon.

The protest ended with the National Anthem.