Labour leader Joseph Muscat yesterday took to market stalls and factory floors to promote his party’s plans for reducing electricity bills by an average of 25 per cent.
If we cannot be competitive, we will not win jobs
His visit was given a boost by the chairman and CEO of cosmetics manufacturer Toly, who warned Dr Muscat, workers and journalists that unless electricity and other costs went down, “the group will not lose, but Malta will”.
Local manufacturers had to compete with countries where import and export costs were not as high, Andy Gatesy said during Dr Muscat’s visit to the Bulebel factory.
And while investment could increase competitiveness, costs incurred by “electricity costs more than doubling in the last four years” could never be recouped, Mr Gatesy said.
The London native, whose father was one of the Toly founders to bring the company to Malta back in 1971, insisted he had no stake in local politics.
But he added: “If we cannot be competitive, we will not win jobs. And if we do not win jobs, we will not invest, employ or operate from Malta.”
“Do not be frightened of change,” Mr Gatesy told workers, “our goal is to build a company that changes as fast as itself.”
Dr Muscat followed Mr Gatesy’s remarks by telling him that Labour “believed in manufacturing”.
“I am convinced that our energy cost reduction plan will lift Toly’s competitiveness one notch further,” Dr Muscat said.
According to Labour, its plan will cut industry’s electricity bills by 25 per cent by March 2015. That, Dr Muscat told Toly workers, meant safer jobs with more competitive companies.
Dr Muscat sketched out these promised savings to hawkers and patrons at Vittoriosa market yesterday morning, before his visit to Toly.
“You will save money, and that money in your pockets will go on to kick-start the economy,” he told supporters, warning them that the Nationalist Party would raise tariffs even further if re-elected.
Enthusiastic supporters in the PL stronghold crowded around to greet Dr Muscat – interspersed with brief chants of “Joseph, Joseph” – and his wife Michelle as they walked through the market.
As camera shutters snapped open and shut, one elderly woman could not resist affectionately pinching Dr Muscat’s cheek. But just metres away, a track-suited mother was less enthusiastic.
“They could have warned us Joseph was going to be here, I don’t want to end up on TV in my tracksuit!” she fretted.