Labour leader Joseph Muscat this evening unveiled more Labour electoral promises and announced that PL deputy leader Louis Grech would be designated to coordinate the work of ministers in a future Labour government to ensure that the priorities of Labour's roadmap were implemented.
He was speaking at the end of an extraordinary party general conference which met to approve the party's electoral programme, described by Dr Muscat as a roadmap for economic growth which would benefit everyone.
The Labour leader said the programme was the fruit of three years of work including extensive consultation with the party membership and every sector of society.
"This is the manifesto of the people, from the people, to the people," he said.
It was a plan of action, a collection of realistic and costed proposals which a Labour government was committed to bring to realisation, he said.
Labour, he said, had carried out a 'scientific' exercise which would lead to economic growth. In contrast, others had based their proposals on assumed economic growth.
Others made a lot of promises and had a history of not keeping them, such as the jobs in smart city, the end of hospital waiting lists and the reduction of the top rate of income tax to 25%, he said.
Labour would keep its promise to reduce electricity tariffs, pay MPs according to the sittings they attended, raise the level of environmental protection, introduce a charter of patient rights, give a sabbatical for teachers, give incentives for women who wished to work, provide free childcare, reduce tax for part-timers, help business start-ups, create jobs in Gozo, raise stipends, introduce new civil rights, review of the Constitution, enact a whistleblowers act and ensure there was accountability.
A Labour government would designate a person to ensure that the priorities of this roadmap were implemented, Dr Muscat said. That person would be Louis Grech, deputy leader of the party.
NEW PROPOSALS
Dr Muscat skimmed quickly over new proposals contained in the electoral programme.
He said the Child Development Assessment Unit would be improved.
A new college for performing arts and for sports would be set up.
A new government would raise the tax credit for those following doctorate courses. The unemployed would be given unemployment benefit as well as a stipend if they chose to study.
Malta would be developed as a maritime centre.
A scheme would be introduced to give a stronger legal title to businesses which leased property from the government.
Malta would also have total wifi coverage.
There would be capacity-building for research and development.
Air Malta would become part of Malta's tourist strategy and action teams would be set up within the tourism sector to maintain and upgrade tourism areas.
Farmers would be given stronger title over their land. Fishermen would have social security credited during the close season.
In health, there would be more opportunities for career progression and workers would not be exploited. IVF services would be free of charge. The state would also pay for both parents when children needed to go abroad for treatment.
The powers of the Employment Commission would be strengthened to counter discrimination because of sexual orientation.
There would be a Centre for Adoptions and Fostering Services and adoptive parents would enjoy the same rights as other parents such as maternity leave.
Parents would be able to take sick leave when their children were sick.
There would be higher standards for homes for the elderly.
Those who fell back on social security payments would be able to regularise their position for pension purposes.
There would be improvements for those on a service pension and gradually, the minimum national pension would be equivalent to 60% of the median wage.
Disability pension would be raised and those who found a job would still receive their pension.
There would be new schemes to assist in home ownership.
New sites would be provided for camping and picnics.
There would be a commissioner for animal rights.
For Valletta businesses, vehicle entry in Valletta would be free after 2 p.m. and there would be a national traffic plan.
There would be schemes to encourage donations to NGOs.
There would also be a new Arts School within the university.
The Censorship Law would continue to be improved.
In Sports, there would be an international-standard shooting range and a motorsport circuit.
The extra duty worked by policemen would be taxed separately at 15% and an arrangement would be reached on pending overtime pay for policemen.
Police interrogations would be filmed to ensure there was no abuse.
Parliamentary hearings would be made for persons nominated to head government boards.
16-year-olds would be given the right to vote in local councils and talks would be held with the opposition on the priorities of Malta's EU presidency.
Dr Muscat criticised Simon Busuttil for having said that PL candidate Deborah Schembri had the face of a Nationalist. He said that when he looked at his father or mother, he saw them as a father and mother. Malta, he said, belonged to all, not to Nationalists or Labourites. He did not know what a labourite looked like, but it was about time that the old style of politics was ditched he said.
The conference then approved the electoral programme unanimously.