Labour leader Joseph Muscat said today that while investigations into last week's power outage should continue, somebody should shoulder responsibility for what had taken place, especially as the chairman of Enemalta had initially implied sabotage, that casting a shadow on the workers.

Speaking in Gozo, Dr Muscat referred to various aspects of the Budget, and said that while the tax credits for SMEs were welcome, he hoped they would not remain just a promise but the schemes for their administration would be issued. Tax credits were also promised last year, but the schemes were never issued.

Dr Muscat insisted that costs which were not related to oil purchases should not be included in the new power tariffs formula, because the higher tariffs only served to undermine Malta's competitiveness and the living standards of the Maltese. He said there were serious questions to be asked over how Infrastructure Minister Austin Gatt had quoted prices in Parliament which were some 20 percent higher than market prices. One also had to wonder how forward buying was not made when prices were low.

Dr Muscat criticised the government for not adjusting the tax bands when it gave the cost of living adjustment, saying that as a result, some low income people would be pushed into a higher income bracket and would have to start paying income tax. Pensions may also no longer be eligible for supplementary allowance.

He noted that when, last week, PL home affairs spokesman Michael Falzon said that atrailer carrying explosives had been parked at Corradino after it was seized by Customs and refused by the army, the governemnt said the container was sealed and there was no danger. Yet it was removed on Saturday, under a police escort.

The Labour leader insisted that the Labour Party needed to shed the image that it was against business. The PL believed in the workers and in business. It was a movement which included everybody and it needed to welcome people who invested their money to create wealth and jobs in the country, he said.