Labour leader Joseph Muscat said this evening that he was confident that the country could be reformed and modernised in the same way as the PL had undergone its own transformation in the past five years.
"When I faced the party delegates before being appointed leader (in 2008), I told them that the party was detached from people. I faced them with a clear plan for a radical change, firstly by admitting our mistakes. I said that there were parts of our history which I was not proud of. Being a man demands admitting mistakes. I was clear that if I was chosen, we would embark on a road towards greater civil liberties, starting with divorce. This is what distinguishes us from any other party, because we do not fear expressing our thoughts," Dr Muscat said in Fgura.
The road to change was not an easy process, but Labour had given birth to an all-embracing movement where there was no 'us and them', he said. Labour had become the natural place for all Maltese and Gozitans. This, he said, was what Labour was now offering all the Maltese and the general election.
"We are capable of changing the country in the same way that we changed and modernised the party. What seemed impossible five years ago is today something that appeals to the people. We are ambitious for our country. We have great aspirations for this country. We are guilty of being ambitious and we are capable of making Malta the best in Europe. We are serene because we know we spoke the truth, we spoke our minds, we shared our vision and we are sure that the people will take the right decision on Saturday," Dr Muscat said.
Should Labour win the election, he said, he would extend a hand of friendship to those who would not have voted PL.
Speaking later in Qawra, Dr Muscat underlined the need for a change of direction. Should the current government be re-elected, it would be useless complaining about the polluting power station, ministerial arrogance and ministerial pay, he said.
Dr Muscat urged his supporters not to allow themselves to be provoked, before or after the election.
He said the new government's priorities would be the energy plan, the Whistleblower Act, the removal of prescription on corruption by politicians, a party funding law and law courts reform.
Labour would also work on a reform of primary health care, a reform of the hospital management to eliminate waiting lists and a reform of the medicines procurement process.