Updated: Muscat welcomes GWU task force proposal on the shipyards
Labour leader Joseph Muscat this morning welcomed the GWU proposal for the setting up of a task force to discuss the future of Malta Shipyards.
The union on Thursday proposed a task force composed of the government, the MLP and itself.
Dr Muscat at a press conference to mark the first 100 days since the government's re-election, reiterated the MLP's criticism of the way how the government had announced its decision to privatise Malta Shipyards. In so doing it ignored the MLP's offer to help in national issues such as this. Nonetheless, the MLP was still prepared to cooperate in the interest of the nation and the workers, Dr Muscat said.
He said that in its first 100 days the government had had some positives - such as the expansion of the IT component of SmartCity, the collection scheme for separated waste and the decisions to stop the demolition of Broadcasting House and to hold an inquiry into the purchase of school uniforms.
Other positives included the tougher fireworks regulations and PN general secretary Joe Saliba's admission that the government had not given remedies as recommended by the Tribunal for the Investigation of Injustices.
Negative points included the increase in diesel prices and the decision to further raise the power surcharge. Dr Muscat said these decisions were creating harmful uncertainty in the economy. He said the MLP would itself in the coming months issue proposals on how such uncertainties could be eased.
Dr Muscat said that other negatives included the statistics showing that harmful emissions in Malta were on the increase, Malta's membership of Partnership for Peace without consultation and the fact that public appointments had not been made after a public call, as promised by the PN during the electoral campaign.
The government was also procrastinating on its promises to remove the departure tax and change the car registration tax. It also appeared to be back peddling on its promise to reduce income tax.
Dr Muscat said waiting lists for surgeries had increased from 4,500 in 1998 to 8,000 in 2003 and a staggering 18,900 this year.Now Social Policy Minister John Dalli was agreeing with the MLP that the situation was scandalous, Dr Muscat observed.
He reiterated that he was still awaiting a statement by the Prime Minister on the Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando.
On the resignation of Joe Debono Grech from the MLP, Dr Muscat said this had still not been accepted and he was always welcome back.
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Charles Camilleri
Jun 20th 2008, 15:40
Time has proved that discussion about the future of the shipyards has proved time wasting and squandering of public money. Time is up and the public is fed up giving money down the drain. Lets us call a day decided once and for all. Dr. Muscat you work in Brussels and know that there is not time left for discussion because of EU agreement which set the end of the year as the time for the end of subsidies.
ethelbert schembri
Jun 20th 2008, 13:19
Dr Muscat is teaching everyone how new politics should be done !
If anyone with some mind analysis the PN propaganda in the past, will get out noting positive from them !
When the PN was in opposition the only thing they did where protests on everything . They did put whole families on the streets so that they will look victimised !! In reality they where all the time sabotaging the government of the time . Anything but helping for sure!
Even from the government they attribute their incompetence to others and the only solution for them is privatisation.
Can I ask to Dr Gonzi if they really tried to help the malta's shipyards , by bringing ships to repair ? Cause to my knowledge they didn't . And the proof is in the words of Dr Gonzi when he said that there is great interest from the private sector and ship repair is an increasing market ! So who is responsible for the investment on this island ?
Please check it out .
Shall Dr Muscat learn from them or just begin a new way of doing politics ?
Good job Dr Muscat !!
John Saliba
Jun 20th 2008, 12:46
Thanks for being honest, finally Labour is admitting that the Nationalist Government's results reflect that there is more positive than negative. Even though didn not mention that unemployment continued to decrease, the number of gainfully employed increased substantially, tourism kept on its forward march and the economy continued to grow even though almost every other country is witnessing the opposite. Well done Dr. Gonzi, keep it up.
A Farrugia
Jun 20th 2008, 12:42
instead of blattering about negatives and positives, Joseph Muscat had better ignite the earthquake he was supposed to cause at MLP HQs. And he had better keep his feet on the ground icw the fuel prices and price hikes, because he should know that it is not the government's fault that oil prices are spiraling. He should also know that there are many many maltese citizens who ARE NOT PAYING A CENT OR A DIME as surcharge, and that we, the workers are paying for the surcharge for all these thousands of 'poor people' who are not paying it. Instead they are wasting a lot of water and electricity.
Robert Mifsud
Jun 20th 2008, 12:21
How many more task forces, consultations and discussions is it going to take to heal this cancer? Bite the bullet and go ahead with it, as we all know well enough that when it comes to the shipyards, we've had more than enough talk and very little action going on.
Anthony Briffa
Jun 20th 2008, 12:17
Regarding the negative points, according to Joseph – with his permission – the MLP would be issuing proposals, which could ease the uncertainties. One hopes that these proposals would not be a follow-up to the halving of the surcharge, so adamantly proposed by his predecessor before the march election. Nobody likes to pay extra for the commodity, but the price of oil is what it is. Please be credible in your proposals.