Nationalists inconsistent about liberalisation, Muscat insists

The Labour Party was against last week's industrial action by transport workers because while government officials were able to be chauffeur-driven in air-conditioned cars to get to work it was the ordinary workers and consumers who were made to suffer, leader Joseph Muscat said yesterday.

He said the country wasted four days and lost millions of euros as a result of the strike. The MLP condemned the disgraceful acts of violence and aggression committed by public transport workers.

Dr Muscat, who was speaking at an activity outside the Gżira MLP club, insisted that the government should explain why hearse owners were given a settlement of €250,000 that could hinder liberalisation.

The issue brought to light the consistency of the MLP on the one hand and the Nationalists' gross inconsistency on the other.

He criticised Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi for going back on his word to public transport workers claiming that former minister Jesmond Mugliett had consulted Dr Gonzi before assuring the workers in writing that liberalisation was not an option being considered.

Dr Muscat circulated to the press copies of a letter he had written to the European Commission as an MEP in 2006 asking officials to look into the matter of the liberalisation of the hearses market. Then, the PN was doing everything it could to avoid liberalisation but the government had now changed its tune.

Dr Muscat said the taxpayers were made to pay for the PN's misgivings while the MLP was consistently in favour of liberalisation so long as the service improved and prices were lowered.

He praised the Parliamentary Secretary For tourism, Mario de Marco for meeting the foreign students who witnessed an attack on their coach driver during last week's strike.

He also thanked the government for accepting to discuss Labour's proposals and for setting up the Parliamentary Select Committee consisting of a balance of three members from both parties.

He called this a "draw" and said that the committee, which would be working on the proposals of both parties for the strengthening of democracy, will now be forced to work towards consensus.

Dr Muscat also spoke of rising prices, saying that prices in Malta are skyrocketing faster than those of other countries. Contrary to what the government promised before the introduction of the euro, Malta was experiencing the highest inflation rate of the past 10 years.

The government's plans for the surcharge was daylight robbery because while consumers are struggling to reduce their energy spending, the surcharge will be computed, based on past consumption rather than through a fresh reading of the meters.