Labour pledges support for Ricasoli IT project

Labour leader Alfred Sant yesterday pledged his party's support for SmartCity@Malta, the planned Lm108 million IT village at Ricasoli industrial estate, once it was in government.

In a statement issued by the party, which reported what the opposition leader had told Net Television, Dr Sant said the project's Dubai-based investors had been in touch with the Labour Party and he had given them a guarantee that a Labour government would fully support the project.

Dr Sant said it was a pity that the project was announced by IT Minister Austin Gatt, since in the past he had made statements - as in the case of the failed investment by denim company Gama - which never materialised.

In a reply to Dr Sant's statement, the IT and Investments Ministry said that after criticising the Lm108 million investment, which was creating 5,600 new jobs, the Labour leader had now changed his position and was supporting the project.

There was no doubt that the Labour leader wished for an opportunity to give the Maltese public such good news, the ministry said. But Dr Sant had never believed in the potential of the Maltese in the sector, the ministry said.

Speaking yesterday during a party activity in Tarxien, Dr Sant said next month's local council elections would not be an easy "round" for the MLP, since there were more big localities that supported the Nationalist Party.

However, he said, this did not dampen the Labour Party's enthusiasm since the MLP councillors wanted to make a difference even when they were in a minority.

Dr Sant said the Tarxien local council had carried out 90 per cent of its promises, while Gudja and Ghaxaq had carried out 85 and 80 per cent of their promises respectively. He said that on a national average, the Nationalist-led local councils honoured between 52 and 55 per cent of their promises.

MLP deputy leader Michael Falzon said the Gudja council had spent Lm143,000 on the Xlejli area to build roads and a garden. He said the Ghaxaq local council had spent Lm36,000 on the square and Lm30,000 on roads, while another Lm15,000 were spent on building new pavements and fixing existing ones. The Tarxien council had spent Lm26,000 to build a five-a-side football ground, Lm13,500 to fix pavements and Lm85,000 on road resurfacing.

Referring to parliamentary secretary Tony Abela's declaration that he was not prepared to resign, made in Parliament last week, Dr Sant said it was now time for Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi to take a decision.

He said if Dr Gonzi really believed in the code of ethics, he had no option but to remove Dr Abela from the Cabinet. Unless the Prime Minister did this, he would be giving a clear sign that his government had no integrity.

Speaking about the Malta Environment and Planning Authority, Dr Sant said it was a known fact that those who won certain contacts moved forward while those who did not, got stuck.

He said the MLP would approve its industry, health and education plans by the middle of the year after having approved its tourism and environment plans last January. His party wanted to pull the country out of the stagnation which the government had brought about.

An MLP government, he added, would make good for the discrimination suffered by Labour supporters.