Further reduction this week

The government will be announcing another reduction in the water and electricity surcharge this week, an upbeat Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said yesterday.

As international oil prices drop, Dr Gonzi said the government was in a position to reduce the surcharge further, though he did not give specific details.

Speaking at a political activity in Gzira, the Prime Minister told supporters to reflect on the government's string of investment successes.

On Saturday, Lufthansa Technik announced an investment of up to €60 million in Malta, creating some 550 new jobs.

Several EU countries were lobbying hard for this contract, Dr Gonzi said, but more foreign companies were realising that Malta is a competitive country that is deriving results.

"We're not begging anybody to come and invest here but companies are recognising our sound economy, our good workforce," he said.

While also referring to HSBC's new call centre opened last week, Dr Gonzi said there will be more good news for the country in future.

Yet, despite this trail of success, the Labour Party was bent on painting a bleak picture of everything and claiming the country was facing a crisis.

"The Labour Party's policies are fundamentally flawed and it will never change. It's like a cracked vase that will never be fixed. It's a negative and split party, whose only intention is to paint everything black and continues ignoring facts."

He criticised the MLP for washing its hands from the pension debate, even if the measures are ultimately intended to benefit the public.

Though the MLP is synonymous with U-turns, the Prime Minister said political consensus is needed when important decisions are being taken. Instead, the MLP will always try to derail important projects and decisions, such as EU membership - but then changes direction when the project is home and dry.

Any, yet, despite its erroneous judgements, the MLP lacks the political courage to say it was wrong, as evidenced by the former Labour government's decision to dismantle the Malta Council for Arts, Science and Technology.

Roads Minister Jesmond Mugliett said the government is expected to unveil details of its plans for lifts in Valletta by the end of the week, following the success of the Park and Ride scheme.