A few weeks ago, Times of Malta revealed some shocking news both for the Opposition party as well as the public.

It exposed the deception of the Labour government by reporting there is high probability of an increase in public transport subsidies although hopefully there will not be an increase in bus fares.

Moreover, there is no guarantee of employment for those currently working with the Malta Public Transport Services.

We must admit these employees are currently providing a very important service to our country, even though their job is in danger.

Before the general election, this government had promised that the public transport service would improve within a short period of time to meet the expectations of the Maltese and Gozitan people.

However, the service that the government is providing to the public leaves much to be desired, apart from the fact that their expectations are not being met. I strongly believe that our people are able to evaluate the situation themselves.

The Opposition is calling a spade a spade – when Arriva was introduced in Malta, the system was not perfect. There were issues which had to be improved.

As I have often stated, the reform could have been introduced gradually and brought forward with lower expectations. However, this reform was a good one compared to the present poor state of the public transport service after just one-and-a-half years of a Labour government.

Although the initial stages of the reform were difficult, especially following a no-show by about 180 experienced drivers, we still saw improvements and the public can confirm this.

Both Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and Transport Minister Joe Mizzi explicitly stated more than once that the reform in the public transport was necessary.

When the Labour Party was elected to office, Mizzi felt that the best solution was that Arriva should leave the island instead of trying to find a way how the company could have honoured the contract it had with the government, as promised in the Labour Party’s electoral programme.

Joe Mizzi should be sincere with the public – will commuters continue to pay the present bus fares?

A normal bus fare currently costs €1.50 for a whole day, whereas senior citizens and children pay 50c.

A prepaid fare for a whole week costs €6.50, while senior citizens and children pay just €2.30. Moreover, taxpayers never paid more than €10 million in subsidies each year. However, the minister increased the burden for tax-payers. Every day, the Maltese taxpayer has to pay thousands of euros for the public transport service, besides the bus fares.

Unfortunately, the actual cost of this burden is still unknown to the public. I think the time is ripe for the minister to publicly declare how many thousands of euros the taxpayer is forking out to make up for his own blunder.

Mizzi should be sincere with the public – will commuters continue to pay the present bus fares? Will the subsidy remain below €10 million?

If in the negative, the minister should bear in mind that Maltese families cannot afford to pay more for public transport.

Lately, the Nationalist Party confirmed that sales from shops and the internet have decreased because the increase in salaries is almost negligible.

Consequently, the number of those in risk of poverty has increased.

The Opposition is also worried about the future of bus drivers. They have families and need to put their minds at rest about their future.

When the reform in the public transport was introduced under a Nationalist government, the job of these drivers was guaranteed. The saga of the public transport continued when the minister travelled to Spain to meet the owners of the Spanish company, which subsequently was declared the preferred bidder.

This is obviously a breach in the conditions of the expression of interest.

Mizzi must be sincere with everybody – with the bus drivers and their families, as well as with Maltese and Gozitan families.

He must guarantee that there will be no increase in bus fares and subsidies and ensure that the jobs of those who work in this sector remain secure.

Toni Bezzina is the Nationalist Party’s spokesman on transport and the infrastructure.