AD: giving pledge costs is a gimmick

Publishing electoral promise costings is just “a gimmick” because the expenses cannot be taken in isolation and have to be placed in a wider context, Alternattiva Demokratika chairman Michael Briguglio has said.

The Nationalist Party plans to publish the full cost of its electoral programme today while, throughout the campaign, the Labour Party has included the cost of measures as it announced them.

But Dr Briguglio was not impressed, adding that people were at no time being given the full picture.

“The two parties are acting irresponsibly… they are promising everything to everyone and acting like Father Christmas.

“They must each have a magic wand. How else can they promise cuts in income tax and then also promise to give so much?

“Where will the money come from? This irresponsibility could lead to a fiscal crisis,” Dr Briguglio said at a news conference in Sliema’s Independence Garden.

“In Parliament, AD will be the progressive voice of reason, steering away from electoral gimmicks,” he said as he urged the electorate not to fall for them.

AD education spokesman Mario Mallia added the PN had spoken about linking Malta and Gozo through an EU-funded tunnel – when there were no funds secured yet.

He also addressed both parties’ proposals to give tablet computers to students.

“While the continuation of the country’s IT strategy in education is important, this provision has to be discussed within the context of the general needs of all students, including the financing of early intervention programmes and psychosocial services among other urgent needs,” he said, echoing the words of the Malta Union of Teachers.

Before embarking on this project, time should be taken to understand and study its implic-ations. Mr Mallia pointed out that there already was a pilot project and it was now high time to look into the results.

He was referring to the pilot project launched in March 2011 when two classrooms – at St Albert The Great College in Valletta and at Birkirkara primary school – were given laptops.