The Prime Minister has been caught in another big lie, that he would remove poverty by introducing a living wage, the Nationalist Party said.

In a statement, it said that the average wage in Malta between 2008 and 2013 had increased by an average of €2,640 in spite of a major world economic crisis.

Pensioners were also given the full increase, which was an average of nearly €4 a week.

At the same time, Joseph Muscat, then Opposition leader, had promised he would remove poverty by introducing the living wage, a wage that would be substantially higher than the minimum wage, and to increase pensions and social services substantially to eradicate poverty.

But the 58c cost of living adjustment being proposed as well as the €1.16 which had been mentioned earlier, had been described by the Alliance Against Poverty as ‘miserable’.

This increase was being proposed at the same time that ministers and Labour MPs and their relatives were enjoying phenomenal wages, the PN said.