Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said yesterday that the next election could be the most important yet as the country chose between peace of mind and failed recipes.
Speaking during Independence Day celebrations at the Floriana Granaries, he told supporters that the Nationalists were always the authors of change throughout history, ensuring independence in 1964, democracy in 1987 and EU membership in 2004.
Asked about his own vision, Dr Gonzi said Malta had to continue doing well for itself despite international challenges, where countries we used to admire were floundering.
“Our diligence helped us overcome the challenges but we’re still at a very delicate juncture.”
The Government managed to generate 20,000 jobs in four years - despite everything going wrong - but another 20,000, if not more, had to be created over the next four years to keep up with the rate of graduates.
He said children must continue to be given the best opportunities.“We cannot take things for granted or take risks.”
Dr Gonzi said jobs had to be created pensioners, who could now work without losing their pensions, and women, who worked without paying taxes – not forgetting those who struggled to find jobs, especially the over-40s.
He spoke about the PN’s billboard bearing the slogan Labour Won’t Work, saying that, although many people did not like to talk about the past, one could not ignore that Labour failed every time it was given a chance to prove itself.
“If a doctor gives you medicine that makes you feel even worse, you do not call the doctor again,” he said, adding that the highest unemployment figures were always registered under Labour administrations.
He said Labour leader Joseph Muscat was against EU membership and had given wrong advice on the economy, time and time again.
Meanwhile, Labour MEP Edward Scicluna continued to advocate Mintoffian economics, praising former Prime Minister Dom Mintoff for stopping imports to make factories grow.
People should not trust the future of their children in the hands of such people, Dr Gonzi said.
Asked what change was the PN offering, Dr Gonzi said the party had changed Malta without experimenting with people’s futures. A prime example was the financial services sector.
This was supported by financial services lawyer Max Ganado, who quoted a World Economic Forum report declaring Malta “Europe’s most profitable investment location”.
Dr Gonzi concluded by saying that a priority for the next Government would be to ensure energy supply as the economic growth since 1985 meant an increase in demand from 190 megawatts to 670 megawatts projected for 2015.