Sant gets warm welcome in Paola

Labour leader Alfred Sant said tonight that he had absolutely no regrets for upholding his political honour throughout the years and always saying the truth, as opposed to GonziPN, which, he said, was taking people for a ride with its lies.

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and Dr Sant are bandying around the latest buzz words "no regrets", following the latter's remarks in his interview with The Sunday Times.

"I am accused of being stubborn and inflexible, but I have no regrets for saying the truth, even when people have found it hard to grasp," he told a crowd at Paola's main square.

Dr Sant took the opportunity to condemn the "intolerable" attack on the house of Alternattiva Demokratika's chairman Harry Vassallo, and expressed solidarity with his family.

"We condemn any form of violence and I call on the police to find the culprits and dish out the deserved punishment... We want a democracy that is free from threats, corruption and provocation," he stressed.

During his speech, Dr Sant once again broached the overtime issue, adding that he had looked into the reports, which accused Super One of paying its employees overtime at a normal rate.

He said that this had been the situation adopted until the company could get its finances back on track. He did not say whether this practice had since been changed.

But, he said, at the TV station Education 22, run by the Ministry of Education, instead of being paid overtime, employees were asked to take time off in lieu.