Labour commemorates its foundation

The principles of social justice upon which the Labour Party was set up 88 years ago were guiding the Labour Party in the change it was currently going through, Labour leader Joseph Muscat said this evening.

Speaking during an event to commemorate the party’s founding, Dr Muscat said the Labour Party had to work to win the people’s confidence and this process should lead to instil confidence in the country’s institutions.

“We have to listen to the call of the silent majority who feel the state is not representing them.”

These people felt, he said, that the taxes being collected were being used in the interests of a small minority to the detriment of social justice.

Delegates, Dr Muscat said, were to have the big responsibility to ensure that the changes which needed to be carried out were implemented without delay. The party had to give a stronger voice to the different sectors of society and had to include a representation of the different generations. The party, he said, had to present its vision for the country which was different to that of the Nationalist Party.

Dr Muscat noted that while other governments were trying to pull their economies out of a crisis, with its water and electricity tariff proposals, the Prime Minister was creating a crisis in the Maltese economy.

It was now the time for courageous decisions which the economy needed, such as a reduction in taxes, to be taken. In these circumstances it was more important that the people, rather than the government, had money in their pockets.

Tribute was paid to the late Karl Chircop during the event.