In his message for the NewYear, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said he was “proud that in this past year, you gave us the privilege of serving you again for another legislature. We promised you that if given your trust we will not stop half way and we will continue to make this country stronger.”

The Prime Minister said that, “this year, as a country, we passed through some difficult moments, particularly one that saddened all of us who love our people in an indescribable way. It hurt me on a human level. And it angered me in a way that I felt our country must react, this after the brutal murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.”

Dr Muscat went on to say that, “her murder does not reflect who we are as a country. Indeed, the angered reaction and sadness, and the need to react as a mature state that will not bow its head to criminals, confirms what I know of our people.”

” People who can distinguish between what is right and wrong,” he added, “and are prepared to stop the few, the very few, bad elements in our society.”

The Prime Minister said that Malta is a country “where love does not discriminate. A country that provides work for everyone. That is passing through a time of great wealth and that wealth is being felt by everyone.”

Dr Muscat provided as an example of the wealth for everyone, “the budget without any taxes, we put forward for the commencing year, the fruit of which will be felt by all of you in the coming weeks.”

He pointed out that it £was confirmed that we reduced the number of people at risk of poverty by half in the last four years. These results show the difference that we can make in people’s lives.”

He said that the Government is here to offer hope to those suffering from serious, heart-breaking illnesses.

“We are ready to offer help to mitigate the suffering not only of those who are ill but also of those close to them, for example by giving the opportunity to prescribe medicinal marijuana as an alternative,” said the Prime Minister.

“The Government will be a shelter to those families who are going through social problems. We will continue to help pensioners, minimum-wage earners, those who need a helping hand to access the work force and we will continue to seriously tackle the rent problem while offering affordable housing to those who are really in need,”stated Dr Muscat.

Invest in infrastructure would continue in this new year, he said, “because that is the next step for a modern country like ours where every year tourist arrival in numbers four times greater than our population.”

He added that the Government will continue to strengthen the educational sector, as well as the the health sector, “and above all, we will continue to preserve the environment we live in.”

“2018 will be the year when we will continue to push forward reforms on controversial subjects, which we cannot continue to sweep under the carpet. We are here to decide,” said the Prime Minister.

Permalink: Prime Minister “proud” to be serving again for another another legislature