Update: The Election Manifesto for the Labour Party was approved unanimously on Wednesday evening at the Party’s Extraordinary General Meeting held in St. Julian’s.

The PL Party said that the 175-page manifesto gives its representations of the values, proposals and roadmap of action that the Labour Party is putting forward.

Dr Joseph Muscat, said on the launch of the Manifesto that that the country is ready fo a change in direction. He said that this election programme launched by the Party was not a list of promises, but was a realistic project built on the PL movement’s vision that take Malta and place it among the best in Europe.

He also stated that the Electoral Manifesto was the result of three years work of several individuals who contributed their ideas, time and abilities.

“These are not proposals thought out amongst few individuals in a room, but the fruit of an exhaustive consultation process.” Dr Muscat cited amongst others the Congress convened by the PL last September which was an open process where every person could present his/her proposals. Another initiative was the online consultation process where, again, everyone could share ideas.

“On scrutinising the Electoral Manifesto, there will some of you who will recognise ideas and proposals which you yourself submitted. Therefore, this is not a party Manifesto but a Manifesto of the people, from the People, for the People,” Joseph Muscat said.

The Manifesto, which is in Maltese, is available to download here.

A series of proposals from the Electoral Manifesto

Joseph Muscat listed different proposals which are part of the Electoral Manifesto and which the PL will be explaining in further detail in the next few days.

“In the education sector, we will be strengthening the Child Development Assessment Unit with the objective of addressing the serious waiting time problem to help children who need to be assessed.

We will be launching post-secondary colleges for performing arts and sports, where students will be able to develop further their artistic and sport skills whilst studying for their MATSEC.

We will increase the tax credit for those who read for a PhD to €25,000 whilst giving more opportunities for scholarships to those following distance learning courses.

A new Government will be giving the opportunity to those who stop working or end up without a job to return to their studies by giving them both the unemployment benefit as well as a stipend.

We will be boosting the maritime sector to make our country a major maritime centre in the Mediterranean.

We will continue with the consensus policy for the financial services and remote gaming sectors.

We will launch a responsible scheme through which small businesses who lease government property will be given a stronger legal title through which they would be in a better position to invest.

We will make Malta and Gozo among the first wi-fi states in the world, with total wi-fi coverage throughout the country, by providing and widening access in public buildings and major village squares.

A new Government will increase the abilities and resources of innovation and research public organisations.

We will be giving major value to the strategic importance of Air Malta to ensure that it is part of the tourism strategy for our country and see that it expands in a regional context.

We will form action teams with specific budgets who will be responsible for specialised groups of employees to perform the necessary maintenance and continuous upgrades of tourist zones.

Joseph Muscat added that a new Government will give farmers a stronger title to the land they work on and also facilitate land transfer between family members of farmers.

We will credit fishermen with National Insurance for a maximum of 3 months when the fishing season is closed.

We will strive to ensure a level playing field for co-operatives so that they can operate without disadvantages.

We will ensure more opportunities for career progression in the health sector.

We will address precarious work, especially in the health sector, to ensure that workers are not exploited.

IVF will be given for free.

The state will start to shoulder the expense of both parents, and not of only one parent, in cases when under-age children have to go abroad for care.

We will widen the remit of the Employment Commission so that it counters discrimination based on gender and sexual orientation.

We will provide a facility where under-age boys and girls expiate prison sentences, since it is unacceptable that they are held at Corradino Correctional Facilities or at Mount Carmel Hospital.

We will set up an Adoption and Fostering Centre which will provide assistance to interested couples.

Adoptive parents will be given the same rights as other parents. For example, an adoptive mother will be eligible for maternity leave.

We will give the possibility to utilise sick leave, in a regulated manner, both in cases where children are sick as well as in particular cases for the care of parents or persons with disability.

A new Government will be introducing a comprehensive law which regulates homes for the elderly to ensure higher standards.

We will also give the opportunity to individuals who because of genuine circumstances did not pay enough National Insurance, to regularise their situation in order to qualify for retirement pension.

We will continue addressing the situation of service pensioners whilst correcting the pension problem of those Public Service employees who were employed prior to 1979.

We will also start a gradual process of making the National Minimum Pension equivalent to 60% of the average national income.

A new Government will increase the disability pension and will keep on giving a full pension without deductions to persons with disability who find employment.

We will launch realistic schemes so that more people can become owners of their homes.

We will prepare and implement a National Plan for Better Water Management and Sustainability.

We will create new facilities for family camping and picnics.

We will appoint a Commissioner for Animal Protection to investigate abuse, enforce the law, take up educational campaigns and propose measures which make our country more animal-friendly.

We will create a National Fund to assist voluntary organisations who work in the field of animal welfare.

Vehicle entry in Valletta after 2pm will be free in order to stimulate business in Valletta.

We will launch a National Traffic Management Plan to address traffic problems.

We will introduce a Charter for the Rights of Small Investors.

We will improve fiscal incentives for businesses who give donations to NGOs and voluntary organisations.

We will set up a Consultative Council for Foreign Communities in Malta.

We will set up a School of Art within the University of Malta.

We will further update the censorship law in favour of more freedom and personal choice in artistic expressions.

A new Government will identify a site for motorsport practice as well as an international shooting range.

We will give the best conditions to the Police force. We will ensure that the payment for the extra duty will be taxed separately with a reduced rate of 15%.

We will strive to reach an agreement about adequate compensation for members of the police force for overtime for which they were not paid.

We will initiate discussions to introduce a service pension for members of the Civil Protection.

In the case of members of the Police force, Armed Forces and eventually Civil Protection, who do not finish 25 years of service, but are seriously injured or die during the performance of their duties, the full pension will be given to their families as though the 25 years service have been completed.

We will install more surveillance systems, even cameras, at the police lock-up, to ensure that no abuses occur.

We will have Parliamentary hearings for persons who are nominated to perform regulatory functions.

We will be giving the right to vote in Local Council Elections, to youths who are 16 years of age.

We will immediately launch a consultation process to establish in a bipartisan manner the priorities for the Maltese EU Presidency in 2017.”

Joseph Muscat concluded, “These are some of the proposals which make up the roadmap for 20 priorities.”

Update: In a statement on Thursday morning Michael Briguglio, AD Chairperson, said, “Now that both the Nationalist and Labour Parties have released their electoral manifestos, it is crystal clear that Alternattiva Demokratika – The Green Party, is the progressive choice for the 2013 general elections. In parliament, AD would represent consistent, responsible and progressive politics.

“We will continue to be the strongest defenders of what is left of Malta’s environmental heritage, and we will strive towards better public spaces and better infrastructure. We are not held hostage to big business, hunters, trappers, firework fanatics, Armier squatters, and big land developers. We call for a sustainable land and water policy. We call for socially just economic and social policies, such as increase in minimum wage and disability pensions; socially just pensions; progressive fiscal policy, based on the ethical premise that who earns most contributes the most, and tax on third vacant property onwards.”

“We will continue to be the progressive party, in favour of humane social policies and equal rights for all, including minorities in family and social policy, such as persons with disability and LGBT persons; AD is for gender equality; the right for IVF without discrimination, full equality in marriage and other family rights for same-sex couples; anti-racism; decriminalization of drugs for personal use whilst helping drug victims rather than criminalizing them; and animal rights,Michael Briguglio said.

“We are ready to work with another party, on the basis of an agreed joint programme and work to achieve it when in parliament. As a minor partner we will strive to develop politics by consensus and will not resort to threats to have our way at all costs, conscious that this would bring instability

“Voting for AD is a vote for change in the style of governance and for stability. If one believes in giving priority to social justice, civil rights, environmental justice, sustainable development, ecological modernization, and, last but not least, the reform in the institutional set-ups for the enhancement of democracy, one knows where one stands with the Greens. Voting for the PN and PL would mean voting for stagnant 2-party system,” Michael Briguglio concluded.

One can make history by voting Green”.

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