No raise in pay packets of ministers, MPs - Muscat
There will be no increases in the pay packets of ministers and MPs in the next legislature, Joseph Muscat pledged this evening.
The Labour leader said an independent commission would still be set up to analyse the pay packets of MPs and ministers, but he said there would be no increases in the next legislature if people chose a Labour government.
Earlier, when replying to questions in an interview in Mqabba, Dr Muscat told enthusiastic supporters that h still viewed the Labour Party as the underdog in this election, Joseph Muscat said this evening at Mqabba where he is being interviewed by television presenter Miriam Dalli.
He was given a rousing welcome by supporters but Dr Muscat tempered their jubilation and called on them to continue working until the last minute.
"Let me remind you that the Labour Party is the underdog and we have to continue working until the very end to convince people to vote for us," he said.
The Labour leader said the energy plan unveiled on Tuesday did not mean an increase in taxation.
He noted that Government's energy plan published some weeks ago said it would be studying the conversion to gas until 2018. Families and industry could not wait so long, he added.
On renewable energy, Dr Muscat said the Government had internal studies expressing doubts on the feasibility of wind turbines to generate electricity. While allowing further studies to take their course, a Labour government would emphasise the use of solar energy, he added.
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Jonathan Camilleri
Jan 20th, 16:05
I would be happy if I get a raise, not that other people don't get a raise, honestly...
David Magro
Jan 10th, 16:33
Is Gonzipn willing to do a similar commitment?
Joseph Bajada
Jan 10th, 09:44
This is in stark contract to what the PN said. Joseph Muscat shall not raise the Ministers' and MP's paypackets for the entire legislature while Gonzi froze them till the end of THIS legislature. Meaning: If PL wins the election, PL MPs will not get more than what current MPs get. If PN wins the election they will reintroduce the 600 euro increase.
Couple that with 25% tax only instead of 35%!
A Cuschieri
Jan 10th, 09:38
I cannot image the morale that this 'independent commission' will work with knowing that whatever it's findings pay packets won't change won't be implemented.
Just say what the people want to hear Dr. Muscat. Imbad naraw ...
Andre Ellul
Jan 10th, 08:59
Why establish “an independent commission would still be set up to analyse the pay packets of MPs and ministers” when the status quo is being pledged.
This indicates:
1) Lack of clarity and is contradictory
2) Adds bureaucracy, something he said he will fight.
Carmel Grima
Jan 10th, 08:52
Imma imbaghad se thallihom li jkunu jistghu jiehdu commissions fuq tenders tal-gvern u korruzzjoni ohra? Jekk le mela ghaliex il-Partit Laburista ma ghaddiex il-mozzjoni li kien ippropona Dr. Ang Farrugia fuq investigazzjonijiet ta' ministri sa 30 sena wara. Il-poplu din qed tweggghu ghax ma jista' jaghamel xejn kontra l-ghaqda li hemm bejn il-gudikatura u l-gvern tal-hin.
j brincat
Jan 10th, 08:46
@N Galea
"Min qabel l-elezzjoni qieghed tghidli biex nissikka ic-cintorin JM?"
For your political convenience you fail to mention that this is a direct reference to the shameful €600 a week that GonziPN & pals took behind Parliament and our back!
Is doing away with this extravagance 'sikkar tac-cunturin' to you and your ilk!
jb
Alex Falzon
Jan 10th, 08:44
Yes I agree that Ministers should get an increase... after all the agreement was done between both parties during Alfred Sant era.
So the fuss is irrelevant.
J. Grima
Jan 10th, 08:58
Jekk ghalik fuss hu 500 Ewro fil-gimgha, ghalina mhux, habib!
scott brown
Jan 10th, 08:23
so, dear joe is going to freeze wages for the ministers (only ministers for now). but apparently he will be having 35 ministers. soon he will tell us that pl ministers will work for free. basta jitla fil-gvern.
Neil Dent
Jan 10th, 08:19
Playing to the gallery yet again. It's Muscat's forte, it seems.
N Galea
Jan 10th, 08:16
Min qabel l-elezzjoni qieghed tghidli biex nissikka ic-cintorin JM?
C. Bartoli
Jan 10th, 08:15
U iva issa mhux inlahqu lil kulhadd ministru u l-spiza tigi ghola!
Marion Portelli
Jan 10th, 08:12
What Joseph Muscat did not specify is the amount of ministers a labour govt will have as since so far all labour speakers seem to become a minister then the payroll cost is going to be much higher than the present one. The taxpayer will have to pay for this rise.
twanny borg
Jan 10th, 07:17
Kollha propaganda irhisa. Il-ministri u l-membri parlamentari ma ghandhomx jahdmu xoghol iehor imma dedikati ghal pajjiz biss. Il-paga trid tirrefletti x-xoghol li jaghmlu paragunata wkoll pagi ohra relatati. Nghid ghalja ma irridx dik ir-responsabbilta' ta' ministru lanqas id-doppju. Iridu jlahqu ma kollox jabbandunaw il-familja bl-impenji u bla hinijiet.
joe muscat
Jan 10th, 08:05
Jigifieri inti taqbel li Gonzi ha 500 zieda min wara dahar il-poplu
scott brown
Jan 10th, 08:40
@ joe muscat
if you have some self-respect you should stop regurgitating whatever the pl feeds you. ministers did not take 500 euro increase but were given the honoraria other members of parliaments including pl parliamentarians were and are still taking. and what is so wrong with having ministers duly paid. who is keeping you from getting into politics and becoming a minister yourself.
joe muscat
Jan 10th, 09:00
@scott brown I think you are totally wrong , so why Gonzi decided to stop this increase and the PN admitted that this was a mistake...so you must have self-respect and stop regurgitating whatever the pn feeds you
John Scerri
Jan 10th, 06:46
''... no increases in the pay packets of ministers .....''
Such a popolistic statement ...tell them what they want to hear Joe.
In mine there will be ...glad i'm not a minister under labour.
"....Labour Party is the underdog .......," he said..................TELL IT TO THE MARINES JOE.
You seem informed about everything except election polls.
joe muscat
Jan 10th, 07:31
".Labour Party is the underdog ...," he said...TELL IT TO THE MARINES JOE, of course the PL is the underdog..John you are old enough to understand that before every election the PN starts to give promotions as much as he can.....some examples lately ...in the police force , in the prisons, etc etc. John better to understand this and be thankful that soon you will take pension which was given by PL
John L Galea
Jan 10th, 07:40
The most popolistic pancaked fake comment up to now was GOnzi's yeaterday admission that he wants to reduce the water & electricity tariffs. Hallina John...hu break.
John Scerri
Jan 10th, 08:03
Agree with you 100% John L Galea .
I only hope both will really reduce the tariffs for our sake .
@ joe muscat.
The pension I will receive will be a result of the many years of NI contributions I made and not because PL or PN gave it to me .
What I know for sure is that thanks to MLP people like me lost thousands of euro in retirement benefits when GWU accepted the 2/3 system in the 70s
John Scerri
Jan 10th, 08:09
joe muscat it seems you were blind in 1986/1987 when MLP employed 2500 and load us with taxes to pay wages for dockyard and shipbuilding for many years.
You better get your facts right or dont write at all .
G. Abela
Jan 10th, 08:13
PN has been in government 25 years and the pensions remained 2/3rds!!!!!! TELL IT TO THE MARINES JOE.
John Scerri
Jan 10th, 08:29
@G.Abela
Right you are and both PN and PL are to blame . Before the 2/3 pension, upon retirement one would take a sum called leaving gratuity. this sum was calculated on a cumulative number of years work. At least during the first year one would have a considerable sum of money.
MLP and GWU took this away from us .
PN never gave it back .
Shame on ALL .
Fejn jaqblilkom tiftiehmu mela.
Carmelo Sammut
Jan 10th, 05:59
Qed jirnexillek tikonvencini nivota ghal ewwel darba lil Pl ghax id differenza bejn iz zewg partiti hija kbira hafna jidher bic car li l Pl ghal ewwel darba apparti l perit mintoff ghandu mexxej li tassew se iwassal biex jaghmel bidla f dan l pajjiz
No Franco
No Vote
Lawrence Fenech
Jan 10th, 04:56
It is right no raises in paypackets, we have seen enough raises in 600 euros per week, judges, magistrates, apart from all the perks, consultants and contractors and the citizen getting 1 euro 16 cents it is shameful with bills for electricity, fuels and cost of living.
P Borg
Jan 10th, 01:25
Good, MLP, keep DETERRING the best people from making it to parliament. What a squalid ideology. Socialism does NOT work. Labour won't work.
G Tonna
Jan 10th, 00:04
Cheap vote catching tactics.
Keith Camilleri
Jan 9th, 23:39
If MuscatPL does not manage to keep his time restraints for lowering tariffs by March 2014, the 1996 legislature would feel way longer to this in comparison. There would be protests all over Malta, nothing new though I guess !
sammy cassar
Jan 9th, 23:17
Here we go again. And this is Lejber's new song for their wonderful campaign: Gimmick Gimmick Gimmick a man after MIDNIGHT.
sammy cassar
Jan 9th, 23:14
Malta taghna Llkol.....sa l-elezzjoni. Ghax wara tal-lejber.
A Vella
Jan 9th, 21:31
This is now becoming pathetic, honestly freezing wages of the most important people in the country does not sound right! And only the jealous and underachievers would be happy with such a proposal. And it brings more the probability of having Sicilian style politics, like back in the good old Mintoff days!
A Spiteri
Jan 9th, 21:31
Nispera li ma jaghmilx cabinet kbir u ilahhaq lil kulhadd ministru ghax tigi xorta spiza. Nahseb li kollha qed jistennew li jkunu xi ministru.
Joseph Micallef
Jan 9th, 21:25
A true leader who has the true national reconciliation at heart... this person is genuine. He should not only be trusted to lead the country but I believe that I have a duty to ensure my support to him. And yet I come from 25+ years strongly supporting the PN.
DR EMMANUEL BEZZINA,MA,MAG.JUR.[EU Law],LL.D.,
Jan 9th, 21:21
Creating a new political structure plus laying on for a completely revised , 100% secular Constitution should be top prioities to safeguard the gnawed Democracy in our country. PRIME MINISTERS no more than EIGHT YEARS, LEGISLATURE FOUR YEARS, ALL PUBLIC OFFICES TO BE NOMINATED TRANSPARENTLY & PUBLICLY INCLUDING THE ADJUDICANTS. CIVIL SERVICE DRASTICALLY OVERHAULED. WE MUST CREATE A NEW MALTA.
Alfred Falzon
Jan 9th, 20:51
The PL is the underdog and should not make any slips to give an advantage to GonziPN. The energy factor is good but for heaven's sake let us all move on unless you want to waste our energy.
Alfred Falzon
Jan 10th, 18:21
The latest slip is the scandalous back-stabbing of Dr Angelo Farrugia!
That's what one calls solidarity, transparency and accountability!
Alfred A Falzon
Joe Pace Asciak
Jan 9th, 20:44
A good exercise in antiphrasis, really essential in the promotion of democracy.
*Joseph Brincat
Jan 9th, 20:40
There will be no increases in the pay packets of ministers and MPs in the next legislature, Joseph Muscat pledged this evening.
i GUESS GONZI PN WILL DO TO >> HA HA HI
Joe M Borg
Jan 10th, 04:40
The problem is that this would be the excuse NOT TO RAISE ANY salary! Including minimum wage, or living wage (?!). HA HA HI HI.
A. Sultana
Jan 9th, 20:27
So why would the independent commissioner be setup? To decrease your pay? Wouldn't that be 'unnecessary expenditure' you accuse PN of?
Mr Joseph Carmel Chetcuti
Jan 9th, 23:03
Because you want to take increases out of the hands of parliamentarians. That is how the Australian federal parliament works. If it is good for us, it is good for you.
K Grech
Jan 10th, 01:21
So maybe if in the future if there is any raise, it will be monitored by this commission. Surely a PN gov will not do it, especially when raising its salaries by 500 a week. So its also a way to supervise future government in other legislatures, governments which will surely not shut down the commission since it might raise questions why it did so.
Joseph Micallef
Jan 9th, 20:22
Well said Dr.Muscat... this is what one means by 'leading by example'. What an ocean difference from GonziPN. At least I can identify myself with the aims and objectives of Partit Laburista more or less. In the past I was part and parcel of Partit Nazzjonalista, under the stellar leadership of Eddie. However, I can't see myself today part of GonziPN. This is not the PN I used to support.
jm busuttil
Jan 9th, 20:21
If you think that you ( Joseph Muscat ) are fooling us you are not from your speeches you are already giving an indication that you will be having much more ministers and parliamentary secretaries than we ever had because if not you will have more trouble than Gonzi had this means much more money on your pay packet.
C Busuttil
Jan 10th, 06:24
qed tara l-anqas taf x ha tivvinta, gonzi stess qal li kien zball kabinet zghir
John Bonello
Jan 9th, 20:20
One gimmick after the other, where are the E&W proposal detail that's what interest us to know and the sooner the better don't leave it till late in the election, we want to see transparency from the MLP. show some respect to the electoral if you want our vote be open with us before we cast our vote so we know what we're voting for
Darren Attard Bonnici
Jan 9th, 23:24
why bother .. with the way you spoke here you are already showing that you are a die hard nationalist ....
John L Galea
Jan 10th, 07:46
@John Bonello: W&E gimmick?...GOnziPN wants to copy it....lol
What are the GOnziPN plans for energy? When? How? ....up to now no proposal by the GOnziPN on anything, what are they waiting for...to copy anything the PL says?
J. Grima
Jan 10th, 08:50
Mhux ga urejtna lil min se tivvota? :)
John Bonello
Jan 9th, 20:16
"a Labour government would emphasis the use of solar energy"....please update yourself this has been implemented by the PN government
""Let me remind you that the Labour Party is the underdog and we have to continue working until the very end to convince people to vote for us" another gimmick and a fat lie, polls shows otherwise and it the PN who is the underdog
Mario Buhagiar
Jan 9th, 20:24
@ first quotation, he didnt say PN didn't do it so your comment is invalid
@ second quotation, PL is the underdog because the people cannot judge him for what he did, unlike PN since the PL is in the opposition, and that is always disadvantaged
C Muscat
Jan 9th, 20:32
Ghalhekk ghandek tivvota PL ghax kapaci it-tajjeb izommu u izidu.
Arja gdida ahjar minn dittatura legali. Gvern li idum aktar minn 10 aghar minn hadida imsadda.
John Bonello
Jan 9th, 21:30
@Mario Buhagiar
If it already implemented than why Introduce it again in your electoral program I though the MLP was in for a change ...where is the change then ???? what's so new about the new MLP ....the E&W farce and gimmicks.
Well if people cannot judge him for what he did but they can judge the PN for what they did & according to him it was all doom & gloom then its the PN the underdogs
John Bonello
Jan 9th, 21:33
PT2. therefore according to him the PN done so well that now the MLP is again the underdog and needs to catch up with the PN...which to your surprise is true, example of this ride on the budged he voted against it to prevent the PN gov. from implementing the budget so he shoot it down and now he can use it for himself.
Typical MLP it had 5 years time to come up with something credible, joker
Victor Calleja
Jan 9th, 20:08
Min irid jaqla il flus jiftah business mhux jidhol membru parlamentari qal Joseph.
Qisu Gonzi dan
Edward Borg
Jan 9th, 21:03
Kemm hu ragel sew Joseph hux il-milied li gej nghamlulu gabra
Eddy Privitera
Jan 9th, 20:08
Dr. Lawrence Gonzi GDDEB lilu nnifsu meta minn fBerlin qal li hu kommess li jrahhas il-kontijiet tad-dawl u ilma. U dan wara li zgur sar jaf li l-pjan tal-PL kien intlaqa ferm tajjeb anki minn kummpaniji u organizzazjjonijiet ta' min ihaddem u unjons etc.. ! Nesa li sena ilu f'dibattitu ma Dr. Muscat kien stqarr li trahhis tal-kont atd-dawl u ilma " HUWA IMPOSSIBBLI" ! Illum qal il-kontra !
Edward Borg
Jan 9th, 21:07
Jaqaw ghadek kemm rajt is super 1 Sur privitera ghax ikkupjajtom kelma b kelma. Mela ghax ma taqliblux ftit fuq in NET halli tghidilna ukoll li meta kien il germanja Lawrence gonzi gie imfahhar min Merkel fuq l ekonomija ghax qalet li Malta hi ezempju fl ewropa ta pajjiz success. Nahseb ma tafx x qed tgid din ukoll hux???
vincent Lia
Jan 9th, 21:20
JM se jrahhas id dawl u ilma, jekk jitla, bil hila tal PN, ghax ghazel powerstation efficenti. PL ma ghandu l ebda skop hlief jikopja. Irid Power station gdid biex jaghmel bhal Gonzi pero ma ghandniex bzonn ta 200 megaW ohra ghal issa. X tambihom il PV panels meta il power stations ma jafux x se jaghmlu bl eletriku. Mela il pajjiz bid dawl biss se jkollu ekonomija A+. Staqsi lil Angela, Eddy.
I Mercieca
Jan 9th, 21:24
L-anqas nista nemmen ir-ragunament tieghek habib!
Kieku mhux biex jorhsu l-kontijiet tad-dawl ghala tahseb li qed isir l-interconnecter bejn Malta u Sqallija sabiex naqbdu mal-grid ewropew?
Tahseb li gie pprogettat biex il-haddiema jghaddu z-zmien?
Possibli s'hemm jasal mohhkom?
Ray Buhagiar
Jan 9th, 20:04
Promises Galore.
All parties please tell us about illegal immigration, illegal use of land, job creation, waiting lists, free health
Carlo Cassar
Jan 9th, 21:25
Mr Buhagiar Labour is unveiling his plans everyday. You will soon know about your issues. These are not promises but solid and studied proposals ready to be implemented.
Victor Caruana
Jan 9th, 23:27
Aghti ftit cans Ray. Tinsiex ghadna fl-ewwel gimgha tal-kampanja elettorali. Suggetti ohrajn jigu diskussi fil-gimghat li gejjin tinkwetax.
David Magro
Jan 9th, 20:00
That a great commitment from Joseph, and he will stick to it....would Gonzipn stick his neck on this commitment?
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