Labour Party Leader Joseph Muscat in an interview during the programme Fis-Sustanza presented by Simone Cini and Robert Musumeci at Ta’ Giorni, said that “the report commissioned by GonziPN to shed doubts on the Labour Party’s energy plan, which is being paid for by Maltese and Gozitan families, is based on false information presented by GonziPN.

“The Labour Party is going to continue answering all the issues raised to clearly show how electricity bills can be reduced and will be reduced.”

During the event at Ta’Giorni, engineer Joe Ellul Vincenti was also present. He served as Chairman of Enemalta during Eddie Fenech Adami’s legislation. During his intervention, Ellul Vincenti explained that if the gas tanks planned for the Dellimara area are designed in the correct way, there is no cause for fear.

Joseph Muscat said that “Dr Gonzi is not consistent with its criticism and that he has no credibility in the energy sector because only a week ago the Government was saying that electricity bills could not be reduced and today the Government is saying that they will also be reducing the bills.”

The Labour leader noted that after a week of the electoral campaign, PN adopted a campaign “based on negativity and fear and did not present any proposals.”

He explained how the country could not be dependent on one foreign country for the provision of energy. The Labour Party was in favour of the gas pipeline project, however Joseph Muscat explained that we cannot let families and businesses wait another ten years for electricity bills to be reduced.

With regards to cancer and asthma issues close to the powerstation, Joseph Muscat said that the “Government is offending the families that are suffering through its actions and attitude. The amount of people suffering from asthma and cancer is very high. However even if there was only one person who is suffering, the Government should take action.” Joseph Muscat said that he wants to be the Prime Minister who stops the use of heavy fuel oil and ensures that the country changes over to the use of gas.

When tackling the issue raised by PN that the Labour Party is thinking about a greater provision of energy than is actually needed, Joseph Muscat said that through this, PN is admitting that a with a new Government there will not be any power cuts. He stressed that the capacity that the Labour Party is aiming towards is for 15 to 20 years.

Joseph Muscat referred to the proposals presented today by the Labour Party on more accountability and a new style of politics. Amogst these issues, Joseph Muscat stated that no politician should have any piece of mind on these issues and if at any moment proof of negligence or lack of accountability arises, people should know the truth.

He also said that we need to raise the standards. The international reputation of Malta suffered in these last few months. He re-iterated that every politician should place himself under scrutiny, just so that if he involves himself in cases of corruption he will be answerable to any accusations. This is because corruption translates itself into a tax that has to be paid for by all families.

“If tomorrow a worker decides not to go to work, he will not get paid, however if a politician does not go to Parliament, he will get paid anyway. The time has come where all politicians have to set an example in parliament. It is for this reason that we are saying that the wages of Members of Parliament will be tied to their attendence. For me these things are natural because I do not expect to be paid for something that I do not do. I also believe that the time has come for families to have access to the attendence of Members of Parliament,” stated Joseph Muscat.

With regards to the Whistle Blower’s Act, Joseph Muscat stated that “although PN prepared the law, it was never discussed and was never implemented. The Whistle Blower’s Act that will be introduced by a new Government has one basic difference. This is because the law will protect even those that unveils information on past known cases. The law will also protect those who in some way or another were unknowingly involved. The aim of the law will be to encourage individuals who have information with regards to corruption cases to come forward and speak out.”

Joseph Muscat also mentioned how a new Government will strenghten the powers of the Auditor General which would enable him to investigate cases where witnesses do not co-operate.

When speaking about the honoraria of Ministers, Joseph Muscat declared that things will change. “A new Government led by myself will not be giving any increase to Ministers, Parliementary Secretaries and Members of Parliament.” He also added that politicians should not be the ones who decide what their wage should be. “For this reason, a new Goverment will be entrusting the Auditor General, Ombudsman and Electoral Commission to establish a system of how the wage structure should function.” He stressed that the shameful €500 increase did not only harm the reputation of the Government but also of the whole political class of Malta.

When questioned on civil rights, Joseph Muscat said that today “we have a confessional Government who has only recently made a move regarding civil rights and talking about intollerance. For the movement this is not enough. If there is a homosexual couple living together and love each other, they have a right for a civil union.”

Joseph Muscat asked why do we have to allow prejudice to overcome us or why do we have to try to create first and second class categories of people? He mentioned how this movement, fourty years ago had already made huge steps forward when it removed homosexuality from being a criminal act. Now the time has come for the next step.

The Labour Leader reiterated that today a man and a woman living together have the law to protect them, “but this protection is non-existent for a man living with another man or a woman living with another woman. Therefore a civil union will be there to protect these couples.”

Joseph Muscat concluded by mentioning the main difference between the Labour Party and PN. “Joseph Muscat alone is a nobody. If I leave, the movement will go on. If the movement ends then I will end with it. The Labour Party identified the fact the time of the parties as we know it has now ended. This is the politics that distinguishes the Labour Party from PN.”

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