Labour leader Alfred Sant yesterday promised to give primary health care a new lease of life as one of his government's main priorities.

Dedicating a substantial part of his speech during a mass meeting in Triq Kottonera, Cospicua, to health, Dr Sant referred to his recent operation saying he now knew, from personal experience, that having an operation late could mean the difference between survival and death.

The meeting was attended by thousands of supporters who braved the biting cold, wearing red t-shirts and scarves. The sea of red and white flags created a party atmosphere.

Dr Sant said a woman who had breast cancer recently had to choose between waiting two to three months for an operation at the state hospital or taking a loan and opting for a private hospital. "Such circumstances are not acceptable in our country."

The Labour leader said certain "GonziPN" promises, such as the introduction of a breast screening programme when it knew it did not have anything planned nor the resources, made fun of people suffering from one of the most serious situations one could face in life.

A new Labour government would not even consider such behaviour. Those who were weak and needed assistance would be helped as soon as possible, whatever their ideology.

Labour, Dr Sant said, would strive to cut the waiting list for operations by 15 to 20 per cent each year. It was also promising to keep health services free of charge for all.

Although Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi had said a few days ago that commitment was needed for the health services to remain free of charge, the Nationalist government had for years been contemplating measures through which health services would not remain free to all.

If Dr Gonzi were to accuse him of lying, Dr Sant said, he would produce the evidence.

Earlier in his speech, Dr Sant said Labour would improve people's lives by telling the truth and doing what it promised.

Families were facing a cost of living which was higher than that faced by families in Europe. They were carrying a tax burden that had increased at the highest rate among EU countries while their gross income was increasing at a lower rate than the cost of living.

These were real problems and they had led to the call for change.

He reiterated his claims of squandering of money and corruption within the government.

Labour was placing the family at the centre of its future work. Children were the centre of the family and they were the basis of Labour's plans for a new beginning.

The PN's promise to widen the income tax bands and reduce income tax cost one and a half times what Labour's promise of reducing the surcharge on water and electricity by half would cost, he said. As to the PN's tax pledge, only those with an above average income would benefit from it. With Labour's proposal, everyone would benefit and the economy would be stimulated.

Once Labour's target of six per cent economic growth was achieved, it would curb taxes and reduce income tax for all families.

On education, he said primary and kindergarten levels would be reformed on the model of countries such as the UK, Finland and Scandinavia, which were at the cutting edge, and children would be given back their childhood.

It was a shame the government was playing political ball out of Labour's proposal for a reception class, which would give children a fair chance of competing with the best Europeans, he said.

In its reaction to the Labour Party leader's comments on health services, the PN said yesterday it was a Labour government led by Dr Sant that started introducing payment for health services.

The taxes levied by the then Labour government were repealed by the PN, the day after it regained office, the PN added.

On its part, the government, through a Department of Information statement, categorically denied it was planning to charge for health services.

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