The Malta Labour Party Leader, Joseph Muscat, has appealed to the transport federation to call off the public transport strike planned for tomorrow and also appealed to the government to meet the federation for talks. It would be the people, not the government, who suffered from such industrial action, Dr Muscat said.

Dr Muscat also said that the Transport Minister, Austin Gatt, was inventing when, in a statement, he claimed that the MLP Leader was defending monopolies. His record in the European Parliament showed otherwise, Dr Muscat said, adding that MLP policy was in favour of liberalisation where the people were not being well served.

It was wrong, however, for the government to be doing things it did not promise in the run-up to the election, Dr Muscat concluded.

Dr Muscat went on to say that the MLP would be positive whenever it viewed political developments as benefiting Malta. Such positive developments over the past week included the Prime Minister’s announcement that talks would be held to strengthen democracy, something which the MLP had also called for.

Such talks should be based on Parliament but should also include other parties and members of civil society, the Labour Leader said.

Meanwhile the Transport Minister, Austin Gatt, is standing firm, reiterating that the decision to liberalise the hearse market is final, irregardless of the Public Transport Federation’s threat to take industrial action.

The Health Department has now announced contingency plans for staff at hospitals, health centres and residences for the elderly, should tomorrows public transport strike go ahead.

The Department said it has organised transport from police stations and parish churches at 5.30am as well as prior to the evening shifts. It also appealed to those who use private transport to help as many colleagues as possible.

Permalink: MLP appeal to call off transport strike as Health Department announces contingency plans