A new Labour government would lower the voting age for local councils to 16, Labour leader Joseph Muscat said.

Speaking during an activity organised by the Forum Zghazagh Laburisti, Dr Muscat spoke on the importance of young people's dreams and aspirations.

Young people, he said, should make do without the inferiority complex previous generations suffered from due to the small size of the country.

Dr Muscat emphasised that Labour would invest in teachers, incentivise research while investing in pluralism to introduce choice and competitiveness at tertiary level. He declared he would never touch stipends but would strengthen them. The latest Prime Minister to reduce stipends, Dr Muscat said, was Lawrence Gonzi.

Labour, he said, would provide Gozitan students with the opportunity to sit for exams in Gozo and meetings would be organised for local authorities to identify children with particular problems, such as absenteeism.

A Labour government would fight illiteracy and provide people with the necessary training to become employable.

Incentives would be provided for youths who did not find a job after six months, giving them training without imposition. Labour would create quality employment and would not give out contracts which contributed to precarious work.

He encouraged young people to grab the opportunities to study abroad and encouraged organisations to continue passing on their reactions and criticism to the party.