Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said today that it was heartening to see, in this period of a global economic downturn, that 14 proposals had been made for the sale of Malta Shipyards, that another pharmaceutical company would set up shop in Malta, and that a large international group had opened a business centre in Malta.
Speaking at a PN conference in Msida, Dr Gonzi said that despite these good signs, the governemnt was wary of the problems faced by workers at ST and in other factories which were on a four day week and would continue to work to give them a more secure future.
These, he stressed, were the real issues which the government was focused on, while the Labour Party was drumming up other matters to distract the people and hinder the government, including party funding.
Dr Gonzi said the opposition was being 'cheeky' in its attitude in parliament. The government had repeatedly made offers and proposals on the running of the House, but not only were these offers all rebuffed, but the opposition was acting like it was in government.
The opposition was criticising the government even on immigration, yet the Labour MEPs had voted in favour of that part of a European Parliament resolution which called on EU countries to accept terrorists currently held at Guantanamo Bay.
Dr Gonzi said the past 10 months of the legislature had been very intensive. The proposed MEPA reform was now approaching its final stages and would be presented to the Cabinet shortly, as would the local councils reform. The rent reform was in the legislative process, and the government was well on the way to solving the long-standing problem at Malta Shipyards.
This did not mean that all was smooth. And there was nothing wrong in voicing disagreement. The beauty of the Nationalist Party was that people were free to express their opinion - without fear of being fined - before a final decision was taken in the national interest.
The government's focus, Dr Gonzi insisted, would be on what really mattered and what affected the people most.