The number of people waiting for an operation at St Luke's Hospital has risen by 86 per cent since December 2003 - from 7,930 to 14,763, Labour leader Alfred Sant said yesterday.

Speaking at Marsaxlokk, Dr Sant said that according to replies to parliamentary questions, the waiting list had increased from 130 to 2,136 for cardiology operations, from 4,607 to 6,026 for orthopaedic operations, from 235 to 533 for gynaecological operations, from 958 to 2,693 for general surgery and from 2,000 to 3,375 for ophthalmologic operations.

The country, he said, needed a new Labour government to create employment and ensure that the country's resources did not continue to waste away.

On the European Constitutional Treaty, Dr Sant said this was not the most important issue for the Labour Party but a decision had to be taken so that the party could then focus on the country's needs.

At the party's next general conference, delegates would be asked to vote yes or no for the treaty. The delegates' decision would be that of the party.

Following a long debate, he said, the parliamentary group had decided for the treaty with reservations. The party's executive had then unanimously adopted the same position.

Some were interpreting this decision as one with which the Labour Party would be serving the Nationalists' interest. But those who were saying this now, had been willing to vote with the Nationalists to bring down the Labour government in 1998, he said to applause.

Moreover, those who argued in such a manner did not understand the question being presented.

The issue was about a treaty on which the MLP had to have a position in the interest of the country and the party.

The party had to take a position which, when in government, would allow it to implement the policy approved by the general conference in November two years ago.

This was that a new Labour government had to work to mitigate the negative aspects of EU membership by exploiting the positive aspects.

At the same time, the Labour Party had to take part in all European institutions, always putting the interests of Malta and Gozo first and foremost.

The fact that France and The Netherlands voted against the EU constitution did not mean that everything in Malta should stop.

Such an argument did not make sense because Malta could not allow others to take its decisions.

France and The Netherlands decided the way they believed was best in their national interest. The Maltese and Gozitans had to decide in their own national interest, Dr Sant said.

The Labour leader also spoke on the privatisation of Sea Malta. He said it was shameful that the government was manoeuvring to close or sell the company.

There had been an offer from someone to buy Sea Malta but the government had ignored this offer, taking years to decide without investing in new ships.

Labour Party deputy leader Charles Mangion, who also addressed the gathering, said the only capital ever invested in Sea Malta was Lm3 million when it was set up.

A few years ago, the company drew up a report on how it could start operating profitably but to do so an injection of Lm4 million was needed. The government, however, ignored its appeal.

The government was also declining to give job guarantees to the 123 workers at Sea Malta.

Sea Malta and Air Malta, Dr Mangion said, should not be privatised since they were essential - the former for the manufacturing industry, the latter for tourism.

Dr Sant referred to a meeting the Prime Minister had in Gozo on Wednesday and said that the three ministers the Gozitans wanted to speak to - George Pullicino, Jesmond Mugliett and Austin Gatt - did not attend.

On fish farming, he said this industry had created investment and employment over the years but one had to understand that a balance had to be kept in the interest of the environment and tourism.

He called for a serious study, which should not take years, to find out which fish farm model would be the most sustainable off Maltese shores.