The PN's general council this evening unanimously approved the party's electoral programme by a show of hands.

Closing the council, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said that all the work of the past five years boiled down to this moment.

The question that every voter should ask himself, he said, was "why should I vote PN?" One should vote PN for the future as it was only the PN government which could guarantee a better future for the government, he said.

The PN believed in the programme being presented, which it has been working upon for at last the past 13 months.

The programme 'Another leap in quality for all' was the fruit of many consultation meetings with civil society, the consideration of thousands of proposals, advice and costings, Dr Gonzi said.

He said that the programme was based on initiatives aimed at strengthening the country's economy, at creating employment, at Malta's unemployment rate being among the lowest in EU countries, at attracting investment.

It was aimed at strengthening the manufacturing industry, at making Malta the best financial centre in the world, at the country becoming among the best digital centres in the world.

The programme, the Prime Minister said, was aimed at creating jobs in new sectors, developing more recreational spaces, developing an education which adapted to changing times, at creating a society where those in most need found the required assistance, where the number of those at risk of poverty was reduced.

Going into the specific proposals Dr Gonzi said he will open a girl's school at tal-Handaq this year.

Another girl's secondary will be opened at Kirkop in 2014, a boy's secondary in Paola in 2015, a girls secondary in Hamrun in 2016, a boys secondary in Hamrun in 2017, a boys secondary in Pembroke in 2018, a primary school in Marsascala in 2019 and a boys secondary in Hamrun in 2020.

He announced an agreement with publishers Klabb Kotba Maltin, Merlin and Book Distributors Ltd for tablet content. This content, he said, would also include Trevor Zahra's books. Agreements with other publishers and authors would come at a later stage, he said.

The programme, which can be read in the pdf link below, makes 125 pledges. It promises to provide a clear road map for another leap forward in the country’s history and people's way of life. 

One of the measures being proposed is that those whose only income is the minimum wage and statutory bonuses will not pay income tax.

Other measures include a solidarity fund where one can donate 0.5 per cent of his income tax to the beneficiary of his choice; the vote to 16-year-olds for local elections; civil partnerships for gay couples and a clause against LGBT discrimination in the Constitution; and a pension account for newborns with €1,000 deposited.

The PN is proposing to update the neutrality clause to today's realities; introduce the right for Maltese living abroad to vote at embassies; encourage private companies to appoint women to 40 per cent of board positions by 2020 and bind public companies and entities to do the same; legal aid for victims of crime appearing parte civile; and a full foreign service pension.

The party is proposing practical help for those opening a new business, tax reductions, vouchers for child care centres, a continuation to the fight against cancer and diabetes, an improvement to the free medicine system, tablets for students from Year 3 to Form 5, cheaper energy at night and more and better jobs.

The programme comes with the same girl on the cover which was on the PN's programme five years ago - Ella, who is now 14.

The council was opened by PN deputy leader Simon Busuttil, who wrote the party's programme. It was addressed by a number of party councillors and by PN general secretary Paul Borg Olivier.