A Labour government will work to rebuild a culture of respect towards teachers whose profession is no longer sufficiently appreciated, party leader Joseph Muscat said yesterday.

There was a time when teachers were perceived to be on a par with family doctors, he said, but the situation had changed over the years.

He said teachers had to be encouraged to invest more in themselves, through professional career development, and their views should be given more weight when important decisions were taken.

Dr Muscat was speaking during an interview on One Radio. As he spoke about the Budget, the main theme of the interview, he insisted that a Labour government would implement the main and important measures announced, even if the Budget is not approved.

This decision, he said, had been taken in the interest of stability to ensure families and businesses had peace of mind.

Besides, he added, he had faith in the EU that had approved the Budget.

Dr Muscat said Labour’s electoral manifesto would clearly outline how, when and by how much utility bills will be reduced.

He also said the reduction in the water and electricity bills would not stop a Labour government from implementing positive Budget measures that are due to be announced this evening.

However, he criticised the Government’s handling of the health sector, which he described as a “total failure”.