Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has warned that a new Nationalist government would mean higher taxes, while promising another positive Budget if the Labour Party is re-elected.
“We all remember the budgets under the PN, when it was always about tightening the belt. Once they raised VAT, another time they raised national insurance, and they will do the same again,” Dr Muscat told PL supporters in Xewkija this morning.
“Whereas every budget our government has put forward has been a positive one for the people. They said this year’s was an ‘election budget’ – I can promise that if you give us your trust, even the next will be an ‘election budget’. We can make these proposals because we have credibility.”
The PM said the last four years’ work had been based on solid principles of equality, social justice and social mobility, ensuring that nobody fell behind, and everybody was treated equally and given the same chance at success.
Half of the PN's proposals for Gozo had already been implemented or were currently carried out by the present government
He poured scorn on the 100 proposals for Gozo presented by PN leader Simon Busuttil yesterday, insisting that half had already been implemented or were currently carried out by the present government, including new fibre optic infrastructure, a creativity hub in Xewkija, a new school in Rabat and a care home in Għajnsielem.
“As for the other half, [Dr Busuttil] failed to mention how he intends to go about it,” Dr Muscat said. “Some of the proposals are positive, and we’re already looking at them ourselves. But what credibility does he have when he speaks about Gozo? He may talk about designating Gozo as a region, but the facts show that Gozo has begun to benefit from European funds under this government.”
Dr Muscat also took aim at the PN pledge to re-nationalise the Gozo hospital, which he said would sabotage international investment by Vitals which was delivering new medical services for the people.
He added that cancelling the Vitals agreement would mean pushing away the Barts Medical School, with the two deals going hand in hand. This, he said, would deny the Gozitan economy millions of euros from some 300 international students, and their families, expected to come to the island with the new school.
“Gozo is at a crossroads,” Dr Muscat said. “The question now whether it wants to remain dependent on the Maltese economy, or whether it wants to make a leap in quality and link up with the global economy, to embrace new opportunities that will bring jobs and growth.”