Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi this morning underlined the government's success in creating and safeguarding jobs, despite the difficult international economic scenario.

Speaking in a recorded Radio 101 interview, Dr Gonzi said the PN's credentials on jobs and education were unsurpassed. Just four years ago, Labour wanted to introduce a repeater class. In contrast, the government led by the PN was investing like no other on education and training and Malta now had the fifth lowest unemployment rate in the EU.

This government, he said, was also achieving record after record in tourism.

The financial services sector too was continuing to progress, and the sector could not find enough accountants to engage. Some had to engage accountants from the Philippines.

Dr Gonzi reiterated that 'Labour won't work'. One only needed to see the performance of the last Labour government, which in 22 months ruined the economy and raised power tariffs when the price of oil was just €12 per barrel, he said.

In the past four years Dr Muscat repeatedly gave wrong advice, Dr Gonzi said. For example he had told the government to follow the examples of Ireland and Cyprus, and now one could see what was happening there.

To make matters worse, Dr Muscat was surrounding himself with people - such as Alex Sceberras Trigona - who had been in a government which did not have  a majority. Dr Sceberras Trigona's recent comments on democracy were disgusting and he had no credentials to speak on democracy, Dr Gonzi said.

The people, he said, should be wary of what was happening within Labour, such as how another former Labour minister, Karmenu Vella, under whom industry had slumped, had been entrusted with writing the Labour electoral programme.