The Nationalist Party has said that ”tourism should make a fair contribution towards our country’s infrastructure and environment. However, the increase in the contribution announced by the Government in the Budget should apply only during the peak season, rather than throughout the year.”

Speaking at a political event this morning at the Office of the Leader of the Opposition in Valletta, PN Leader Alex Borg said that during the other six months of the year, when many tourism businesses have to lower their prices to remain competitive, they do not need the additional financial burden imposed on them by the Government.

Alex Borg said that this measure had been introduced without a serious plan, as had the measures concerning foreign workers. Yet these measures provided no clarity on the Government’s objectives. Businesses will now bear the additional costs arising from these measures, which will ultimately be passed on to consumers. He said that it is the people who pay for the Government’s mistakes.

Alex Borg described this as a ”short-sighted Budget” that offered no vision for strengthening businesses, families and workers, and continued to rely on an increase in foreign workers.

Shadow Minister for Justice, Research and Innovation Joe Giglio and Shadow Minister for the Elderly Paula Mifsud Bonnici also addressed the event.

Joe Giglio said that this Budget would be remembered ”for what it failed to address: traffic, infrastructure, the difficulties young people face in buying a property, the problems in our hospitals and schools, and justice. The Government, he said, had once again failed to give the country a new direction.”

He stressed that our country needs policies underpinned by a vision for improving productivity. The Nationalist MP said that the PN ”believes our country can strengthen its economy through new economic niches without increasing pressure on the country or treating workers as disposable.”

Shadow Minister for Older Persons Paula Mifsud Bonnici said that the Nationalist Party always welcomes any measure that helps older people. ”However, this Budget failed to deliver on Labour’s promises before the election, including its misleading promise of a €50 weekly increase, when the Budget actually gave older people an increase of €3.59.”

She also maintained that the measures concerning foreign workers could negatively affect older people and the services they use, which are often provided by these workers. Paula Mifsud Bonnici said that this Budget had once again forgotten care homes for older people.

Tomorrow, Monday, the Leader of the Opposition will deliver his speech on the Budget presented by the Government last Monday.

Photo: PN

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