GWU secretary general Tony Zarb said in a statement yesterday that those who did not honour promises were betraying the people.

Mr Zarb was reacting to a speech on Monday by Nationalist MP Robert Arrigo who asked the Speaker of the House, Louis Galea, to investigate and take action over comments made last week by Mr Zarb when he described MPs as being traitors of the people because of the way they had voted in Parliament over the tariffs.

Speaking during the adjournment, Mr Arrigo said such comments constituted contempt of Parliament. He said that in their criticism of the government over the tariffs, the PL and the GWU were ignoring the high international price of oil and the assistance being given by the government to low-income families.

Mr Zarb said that those who were seeing the people suffering but still, through their vote in Parliament, agreed to impose further burdens, were betraying the people. It was also a betrayal when the people's representatives voted against the interests of their constituents.

Those who did not wish to betray the people had to choose between their seat in Parliament and the people's confidence. Mr Zarb said he would continue to speak for the people.

In other comments, Mr Arrigo referred to government plans for the building of a flyover at Kappara junction and said the authorities should not raise the level of the road too high because that would invade the privacy of neighbours, who would practically be able to shake hands with drivers from their balconies.