Prime Minister Joseph Muscat concluded Labour’s electoral campaign this evening with an address before a large crowd at the Valletta Waterfront where he announced that former dockyard workers, now employed by the government in IPSL, would be given a pay rise.

Dr Muscat said that during the electoral campaign Labour had shown that despite being in government, it was as one with the people and sensitive to their needs.

The people, he said, were being asked to make an important choice based on four issues.

The first was about the direction Europe should follow. The socialists wanted a Europe that was closer to the people and not the banks. A Europe of the people not the institutions; a Europe that was responsive too to the immigration crisis and did something about it.

Over the past year Malta was firm in its arguments that Malta could not shoulder the immigration burden alone, but it also helped those who needed help. Malta did not want to be brought into a position where the burden was heavier that what it could shoulder.

The Italian home minister had said that unless there was change, Italy would issue travel documents to migrants. Malta too was saying there had to be change. Substantial progress had been made in the repatriation of migrants and Martin Schultz, the socialist candidate for the presidency of the European Commission was promising tough action against the people traffickers and a sharing of the immigration burden.

The second choice was about the course Malta was to follow. It was either the old form, where there was corruption, or the new one where the present government had removed prescription on the prosecution of corruption cases against politicians.

This government had also introduced the whistleblower act and would regulate party funding.

This government had not feared introducing new civil liberties, separating church and state in marriage matters and giving effective equality for gay people in civil unions – while the PN was unable to take a position. The government gave trade union rights to the members of the uniformed services.

A new challenge would be the decriminalisation of drugs coupled with more effectively tackling of the traffickers.

Voters on Saturday were also being asked to judge the government. The government had already implemented a third of its electoral promises, and not broken any. It had reduced the utility tariffs. Income tax had been reduced for the well off and those in the middle class. Stamp duty had been removed for first time property buyers. Refunds of VAT on vehicle registration tax were being issued, stipends had been improved and would continue to be improved. The government had brought stability to fuel prices, the prices of school uniforms had been reduced and free childcare was being introduced. Promises to hunters had been kept. They deserved what they were legally entitled to, while the laws had to be respected.

Dr Muscat said he understood the anger of some who felt they had been forgotten, such as former dockyard workers, now in IPSL, who had salaries frozen for 10 years. Agreement had been reached today to give them a salary increase which they were denied in the past. The same would be done to former workers and pensioners of the corps and other sectors.

The government would also fight precarious work. Those who abused of workers should know: ‘Your days are counted’ Dr Muscat said.

Dr Muscat said the government had rescued Enemalta and would similarly put Air Malta on a sound footing. The government would also invest strongly in education, including new facilities for Mcast in Gozo.

Health would remain a priority for the government. The old problems in the new hospital were being tackled. Waiting lists, as in the case of cataract operations were reduced. A plan had been announced to achieved shorter waiting times in the Emergency Department and work was in hand to solve the problem of shortage of medicines.

The PN, Dr Muscat said, were lacking ideas and the leader of the opposition was not even checking basic things. Yesterday he complained about a medical item being out of stock, and then it transpired that the hospital never dispensed it.

Dr Muscat said the government was succeeding in job creation and would continue to work against unemployment.

He said that another choice on Saturday was about who should represent Malta in the European Parliament – those who sought the interests of the country and those who tried to put spokes in the wheels.

Another choice, Dr Muscat said, was between him and Dr Busuttil. This was a choice between somebody who took a decision and somebody who ran around in circles. Dr Muscat said he was proud of his record and not afraid of the people’s verdict.

He looked forward to having labour being the first ruling party to win a majority in the European Parliament elections, Dr Muscat concluded.