Alternattiva Demokratika said today that rising inflation and a reduction in the people's purchasing power were the issues which needed to be tackled most urgently in this year's Budget. Other issues included the quality of life and the need to ease the burden of electricity costs by promoting proper use of energy and alternative sources of energy.

Party leader Arnold Cassola said AD was making six main proposals:

1. The creation of different bands with regards to the electricity surcharge in order to reward those households and commercial establishments that avoid excessive use of energy. Those who do not should be subject to a higher rate of surcharge.

2. Incentives for the storage and use of rainwater including a partial or total exemption from payment of the surcharge on water consumption for those households/commercial enterprises whose consumption of mains water is low.

3. Rehabilitation and conversion of disused quarries into rainwater reservoirs or into nature parks.

4. Extension of the the present 15% tax rate on part-time work to a wider part-time income band: from the present limit of €6,988 extended to €12,000.

5. Extending this 15% part time rate to pensioners re-employed by Government and other parastatal bodies. Government pensioners have been till now excluded from this measure.

6. Investment in an efficient public transport system to reduce heavy reliance on private cars, thereby decreasing congestion on the roads as well as improving air quality..