MLP 'consistent' on liberalisation - Muscat

Labour leader Joseph Muscat said today that last week’s transport strike revealed the consistency of the Labour Party and the inconsistency of the Nationalist Party.

While speaking in Gzira, Dr Muscat revealed correspondence he sent to the European Commission in December 2006 where he called for the liberalisation of the hearses sector.

In contrast, the Nationalist Party never said anything about liberalisation of the transport sector before the general election. Indeed, former minister Jesmond Mugliett has confirmed that before the election he had reached agreement for the hearses sector not to be liberalized.

Dr Muscat said the MLP was in favour of liberalisation which benefited consumers.

He recalled that he had appealed to the Transport Federation not to strike and for the two sides to hold talks. Alas, four days had been wasted for the economy and now the talks were taking place. He asked, however, on what criteria had the government agreed to allocate €230,000 in assistance to the Hearses Association.

Dr Muscat said the MLP condemned all the violence which had taken place. The MLP fully backed the gesture made by Parliamentary Secretary Mario de Marco who had personally met students who witnessed an attack on their coach. That, Dr Muscat said, was a “wise and positive move.