Muscat promises 'possibly controversial' decisions for job creation in Gozo
Labour leader, PM raise Objective One funds issue
Labour leader Joseph Muscat said today that a Labour government was prepared to take controversial decisions to ensure that sustainable jobs could be created for the Gozitans in Gozo.
In an address during a Labour activity in Gozo, Dr Muscat said the cornerstone of the PL's policy for Gozo was the creation of jobs but he did not indicate the decisions he was refering to.
Gozo, he said, should not depend on leftovers. It could contribute to the national economy and should have the environment and incentives to do so.
Dr Muscat said Labour would be prepared to take tough, possibly controversial decisions, in the interests of job creation. The status quo was not good enough. Gozo's environment had to be protected because that was an attraction in itself, but nonetheless, decisions for sustainable job creation needed to be taken in the interests of the people of Gozo.
The PL, he said, wanted to bring about a change of direction within the context of stability because stability was important for private enterprise. Gozo, he said, was witness to a very long list of promised projects which had not been realised Indeed, the capital investment on Gozo was a fraction of what was supposedly planned.
At present, Dr Muscat said, the country was seeing inertia from the government, and even the European Commission had noted this, as its recent comments on SmartCity showed. It was indicative that Austin Gatt and Mepa were blaming each other for the SmartCity delays. The bottom line, however, was that the promised jobs had not been realised. It Minister Austin Gatt needed to be held to account, as did the prime minister.
It was also an eye-opener of the government's attitude how Dr Gatt had said SmartCity had not cost Malta anything, when the prime site had been given up for the project and, it seemed, investment in the infrastructure did not count.
The government's failure, and that of Dr Gatt, was also evidenced in the hundreds of thousands of euros in taxpayers' money spent on consultants for new bus routes which did not work. But the governemnt was not interested in recovering this money.
FINANCIAL POSITION
Dr Gatt noted the government's nonchalance could be seen in the way how the debt since 2010 was up 25% (€31 million)
It was also revealed last week that hospital contractor Skanska was paid €344 million, which was €7 million more than the figure given by the prime minister in 2004 when the prime minister announced a final agreement on the building of the new hospital.
Financial discipline was important, Dr Muscat said. At the same time the government should not continue to bleed the economy dry, but incentive those who wanted to work and grow the economy.
Dr Muscat said he could not understand how the prime minister had not reacted to a declaration by a European Commissioner that Malta would not qualify for Objective One assistance because its economy had improved.
Dr Muscat said the figures for the Maltese economy had improved only in the context that EU averages were down because poorer countries had joined. In truth, Malta was not better off, but the government was keeping silent and not defending Malta's corner to ensure it got the maximum amount of funds possible, the Labour leader said.
PM'S REACTION
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, speaking in a recorded interview on Radio 101, concidentally a few minutes after Dr Muscat's comments, said that the Commissioner's comments belied those who claimed that Malta was not making progress.
The commissioner had visited Malta, seen various econmic figures and praised Malta for the way how, since joining the EU, the Maltese economy had grown and Malta was now no longer at the bottom of the EU's scorechart.
All this was good news for Malta, Dr Gonzi said.
Dr Gonzi said, however, that he was not convinced yet that Malta was not eligible for Objective One status and Malta was arguing that at least it should be eligible for transition funds - meaning that any reduction of funds would be gradual.
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43 Comments
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J. Tabone
Sep 2nd 2012, 09:42
From my perspective both parties are speaking in general terms right now... classic political posturing. The bottom line is, until their is a bridge or tunnel Gozitans will be at a distinct disadvantage to the rest of the population.
John Azzopoardi
Oct 24th 2011, 11:29
Gozo environment is not better today than it was in the past. WE have development in ODZ zones and the gozitan country sid is littered with illegal developemnt and eyesores.
J.C. Borg
Oct 23rd 2011, 20:38
Nispera li mhix gejja xi lotterija ohra ghal jobs ghax, minghalija, hemm kienet saret l-ahhar lotterija simili.
M Sciberras
Oct 23rd 2011, 19:31
U hallina joseph. More concrete???? Gozo is gozo and you cannot change that fact, short of building a tunnel, which is likely to prove not feasible.
Victor Vella
Oct 23rd 2011, 19:12
This says it all Dr Muscat
http://youtu.be/eZFs33Eq0-M
Jurgen Farrugia
Oct 25th 2011, 09:04
HAHAHAHA you just hit the nail on his head Mr.Vella!!! hehe
Mr Joe Micallef
Oct 23rd 2011, 18:35
Mystery shrouds this possible (therefore it is) controversial proposal! Well at least it is well timed; with Halloween!
Carmel Camilleri
Oct 23rd 2011, 18:19
JOSEPH MUSCAT INTI GHANDEK IL -VOT TIEGHI GHAL KURAGG LI UREJT BID-DISKORS LI GHAMILT ILLUM . JEKK MA ISIRX XI HAGA F'GHAWDEX SER IMUT MEWTA NATORALI.
Hafna barranin u anke xi Maltin iridu izommu kull zvilupp li ikun propost f’Ghawdex u ghalekk idejquni certu kummenti minn dawn in-nies . Tahsbux hazin jien fejn hemm bzonn dejjem iddefendejtu l’ambjent u nibqa niddefendih imma imbghad hawn min jasegera specalment il-barranin bl-iskuza li iridu jigu bhala pensjonanti u iqattghu l-ahhar snin ta hajjithom f’Ghawdex. Li qeghdin jinsew hu li hawn 30,000 ruh f’Ghawdex li iridu jghixu u jimxu maz-zminijiet tal-lum u hadd ma ghandu dritt li izomm milli ahna l-Ghawdxin nimxu il-quddiem bhal bqija tal-pajjiz..
ISSA MILL KLIEM NAGHDDU GHALL- FATTI
J Portelli
Oct 23rd 2011, 17:46
So you're going to degrade the enviornment in Gozo, ruin the island irrevocably, with even more concrete, to create a few dozen jobs.
Dr Muscat you just lost my vote!
Carmel Cilia
Oct 23rd 2011, 18:42
@J.Portelli you give your vote to him who ruined the south east coast of Malta to build a smart city employing nobody.
James Tyrrell
Oct 23rd 2011, 19:25
Where exactly did he say that? I noticed the mention of sustainable development and he also said that Gozo's environment had to be protected because that was an attraction in itself, but I saw no mention whatsoever of degrading the environment or pouring concrete. Please enlighten us!
Joseph M. Saliba
Oct 23rd 2011, 23:13
Kull il-gebel u s-sigar issa Sur Portelli. Mur tas-Sliema u ara dan il-sgvern x'ghamel bl-ambjent.
A. Tabone
Oct 23rd 2011, 17:00
And the mystery continues... if we hear of a policy, if we smell a policy, if we read about a policy then there must be a policy. But, there are no policies to talk of.
Will the "possibly controversial" idea feature in the "possibly containing policies" PL policy-book? The fact remains: there is no such thing as a PL policy.
Joe Scerri
Oct 23rd 2011, 15:43
Can Joe Muscat please enlighten us mere mortals what these "possibly controversial' decisions might be?
A Spiteri
Oct 23rd 2011, 15:37
all these ideas how generate investment in Gozo...yet i never heard one that actaully makes sense (although i have to admit, no one can critisize Dr Muscat's idea, because so far it's only talk).
in my opinion, Gozo best options is more autonomy that includes a kind of fiscal regionalism, where a Gozo regional council is responsible for the taxation of the island and also be in a position to offer lower corporate tax to local companies that transfer part of their operation in Gozo.
they would be in a position to offer such low corparate tax, since Gozo doesn't drain much of the country's taxpayers money!
Mr Victor Borg
Oct 23rd 2011, 15:33
Dr Muscat:
What are these projects you are talking about?
Are you talking cryptically, or are you resorting to rhetoric?
Are you by any chance saying that you will give free reign to developers who want to bury Gozo under an airport, yacht marinas in undeveloped zones, and massive property speculation? These are the controversial decisions, and these decisions are not in the interests of Gozo - only in the interests of hald-a-dozen business barons who care nothing about Gozo.
Is this the fresh start that PL promises?
Victor Borg
Paul Smith
Oct 23rd 2011, 14:03
Can someone update me on the new companies that were coming from abroad to create jobs in Gozo that the Finance Minister was boasting about a few weeks ago - he didnt want to give too much detail is what he said at the time.
Quite frankly if it all turns out to be a load of BS then he should resign - What could be more important than the national transport system - gain Austin Gatt gets a big F for fail with the Buses and should resign in disgrace.
Smart City? when will that materialize? Just more BS
Next the Times will be running a story about Maltese Oil explorartion again - it's laughable the whole cabinet!
The guys that run your country are delusional - they cant blame the financial crisis - if they were worth there salt they should have seen it coming - i for one did, i never forget Vince Cable in the UK house of Parliment standing up in 2004 and warning of a credit crisis and a banking crisis - the UK website Housepricecrash.co.uk was warning in 2005.
And if they are really worth there salt they would be gearing up for the energy crisis the world now finds itself in.....Or didnt they tell you about that yet?
When one see's Tonio Fenech cuddling up to Gideon Osbourne and David Cameron - you know he has got well above his station
LOL
Pat Hobson
Oct 23rd 2011, 13:40
As usual, the regular PN apologists attacking the messenger and not the message. This only points to one thing. They have nothing solid to criticize on.
E Gatt
Oct 23rd 2011, 15:24
That's because doctor Joseph has not come out with one single proposal. Hot air - the only thing available on the Labour menu.
Peter Bonnici
Oct 23rd 2011, 15:32
We'd criticise the message if there was one.
Joe Scerri
Oct 23rd 2011, 15:48
It's obvious that "They have nothing solid to criticize on", because there is nothing SOLID in anything he says. BTW I do not fall under the PN apologist category, just one of those who votes using my mind with allegiance to no one.
Pat Hobson
Oct 23rd 2011, 16:39
How about criticizing Dr. Gonzi's Propositions, of course if there are any!!! I haven't yet heard one coming out his mouth! Or we'll be hearing them prior to the election, and after the election, everything goes with the wind as happened in this legislature?
j brincat
Oct 23rd 2011, 13:21
@K. Vella
Quote:"No tangible solutions, no foreign policy...."
Solutions????? Have you forgotten that it is GonziPN who is at the helm and the onus rests SOLELY on him. But then, GonziPN did not honour most of his 101 promises let alone coming up with solutions which are much needed now that we are in dire straits!
(jb)
Andre Cilia
Oct 23rd 2011, 18:29
What dire straits? All of the Bugibba front restaurants full up? I don't really call that dire straits...
E Gatt
Oct 23rd 2011, 13:02
Oh please Doctor Joseph, tell us. The excitement is giving me palpitations.
pat muscat
Oct 23rd 2011, 16:55
Is.nt the astronomical debt of nearly 5 billion euros bestowed by PN large enough to give you palpitations?
J. Schembri
Oct 23rd 2011, 12:53
When the leader of a party is caught in cahoots with an editor of a newsroom scheming and planning for scoops before an election ,one can only conclude that this person did not rise to the occasion when he became leader of a party , he remained a Super One journalist.
Now he’s trying to impress us with another dance of the seven veils. We’re bored stiff. The Malta-Gozo tunnel will do the trick for Gozo.
J.C. Borg
Oct 23rd 2011, 11:53
Is Joseph Muscat here adding to what he called "a very long list of promised projects which had not been realised"?
George Azzopardi
Oct 23rd 2011, 14:23
Are you referring to the promised list by PN before the election .. or the letters sent by Dr.Gonzi to so many groups and organizations and then did quite the opposite!
K. Vella
Oct 23rd 2011, 11:52
I must say, there is a long way to go to become a politician....in his frame of mind he is still a journalist.
No tangible solutions, no foreign policy, just cliches and popularism.
God be with us, if we should have Labour in goverment.
M Farrugia
Oct 23rd 2011, 11:37
what the controversial decisions e going to be to create jobs in Gozo Joseph Muscat did not tell us. Most probable this is another decision that he will tell us later on about as in other cases. Duhhan u kliem ghal gallarija biss
Anthony Farrugia
Oct 23rd 2011, 11:36
Wannabet that these "controversial" decisions will include "controversial" MEPA permits ?
Peter Bonnici
Oct 23rd 2011, 15:33
Time to speculate on some land in Gozo.
Mr Andrei Azzopardi
Oct 23rd 2011, 11:35
We need more concrete plans Mr. Muscat. Where are they?
Aaron Vella
Oct 23rd 2011, 14:38
Trid tistenna hi, ghax inkella GonziPN jikkupjawna!
Anthony Farrugia
Oct 23rd 2011, 19:39
What's more "concrete" than some unbridled building and development permits !
j brincat
Oct 23rd 2011, 11:34
Quote:"but the government was keeping silent and not defending Malta's corner to ensure it got the maximum amount of funds possible"
The problem with GonziPN is that he loves that occasional pat on the back by foreign dignitaries. But that's all. He never defend his position. Only a couple of weeks ago he said that he would seek that Malta's loan to bail out Greece would be covered by collateral. BUT empty handed he went and so he returned!
(jb)
joseph saliba
Oct 23rd 2011, 13:01
Dr Gonzi's interview on 101 was recorded on Saturday. He spoke of his convictions of objective one. About the loan to Greece you don't seem to follow what's said in parliament. Or you only listen to one side.
James Dimech
Oct 23rd 2011, 11:24
Why did he not specify what these decisions will be ???? Why is he hiding them ??Does he really have solutions after all ? This is the typical Muscat progressiv u moderat. Going round telling everyone what they want to hear. And then not backing up anything with real facts, policy or solutions
James Tyrrell
Oct 23rd 2011, 14:19
James there is an election coming up soon and if Joseph was to make public at this time his solutions to the present problems don't you think it would simply be playing into the hands of the PN by giving them time to counter any such suggestions?
James Dimech
Oct 23rd 2011, 17:12
Mr Tyrell if these proposals are really good then PN will not be able to butcher them for him. Its either a case of Muscat bluffing because he has no proposals at all (with Karmenu Vella taking care of policy I would not be surprised at all) or else of Muscat who does not believe in his policies and is hiding them
Neil Dent
Oct 23rd 2011, 20:00
@ J Tyrell - So in the next election, which is coming up soon you say, on what criteria are we to base our vote, if we are to consider Labour as an option? On their obviously brilliant, however top-secret policies? This is a minimum (supposedly) 5-yr term of running the country we're talking about here - are you (if you even have a vote) really willing to adopt a 'suck it and see' strategy, considering the possible ramifications?
I, for one, am not!
J. Schembri
Oct 23rd 2011, 20:43
James Tyrel : at the rate we’re going we’ll have a bigger book than the last MLP electoral program which the voters had to buy and never had time to read !
We want to know , what his solutions for today are , now !
If he truly loves Malta he should come up with his solutions , if they are good they may be implemented by the PN but he will win the electorates confidence.
Please choose the reason of your report below: