Muscat: no wage rises for MPs or ministers
Commission would be set up to scrutinise pay packets
There will be no increases in the pay packets of ministers and MPs in the next legislature, Joseph Muscat pledged yesterday.
The Labour leader said an independent commission would be set up to analyse the pay packets of MPs and ministers but insisted there would be no rises if people chose a Labour government.
“I have made this clear to all our candidates. I told them they were not in this for the money but to offer a service,” he said.
Dr Muscat was being interviewed under a tent in Mqabba by TV presenter Miriam Dalli.
He said the Nationalist Party was panicking and had no proposals yet. He was reacting to Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi’s comment to The Times in Berlin that his Government intended to reduce bills (see front page).
“First they told us it is impossible to lower utility bills, then they told us our proposal is a gimmick and now they are saying they will do the same,” he said.
Dr Muscat said that people had every right not to trust him if he awarded MPs and ministers an increase behind their backs.
He said that after three days of electioneering the PN could only come up with a manifesto that had no concrete proposals. This week, the PN launched its manifesto with guidelines on which the electoral programme with detailed proposals will be drawn up.
When he arrived in Mqabba’s main square, Dr Muscat was given a rousing welcome but he tempered their jubilation and asked them to continue working until the last minute.
“May I remind you that the Labour Party is the underdog in this election and we have to continue working until the very end to persuade people to vote for us,” he said.
Dr Muscat said he did not aspire to lead half a country if elected Prime Minister and wanted the morrow of the election to be a normal day.
“Freedom Day is as much a Labour feast as a Nationalist one. Independence is my national day as any Nationalist’s,” he said, reiterating the message he delivered at the start of the campaign on Monday.
“I hope we arrive at a stage in my generation where a Labourite can celebrate Independence just like any Nationalist and a Nationalist will celebrate Republic Day like any Labourite would,” he said, adding that politicians had a duty to lead by example.
5 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
E. Azzopardi
Jan 10th, 15:13
Now let us hear it from the PN!!
J Martinelli
Jan 10th, 13:45
I agree with Joseph for this once.
His crop of MPs and wannabes do not deserve one extra cent and he finally acknowledges it.
Being negative for 23 of the last 25, does not warrant an increase for him or any of his buddies , but rather he should apply some 'sikkar tac-cinturin' with his MPs first, just to set an example.
Hallina Guz. " Tellghuna l-ewwel, imbaghad naraw!"
A. Sultana
Jan 10th, 11:34
Again, I cannot understand the need of setting up an independent commission if he is committed not to increase the pays. He is not excluding the re-introduction of the honorarium, he is simply saying no increase in the pay packets.
J Martinelli
Jan 10th, 13:53
Cunning, isn't he, A Sultana?
He will set up an 'independent commission' stacked to the rafters with Labour sympathizers and miraculously the commission will find that MPs and Ministers are underpaid and recommends a hefty increase. Then the e350 - e600 much bandied about will be forgotten because after all Joseph didn't do it.
He just got someone else to do it for him!
Miskin, innocenti! Ardit.
A. Sultana
Jan 10th, 16:23
My question has always been this: What if then he is given e600 or e800, who knows; will that be justified simply because he had setup an independent commission? I really look forward to see the PL sympathizers' reaction to that.
Please choose the reason of your report below: