‘We’ll explain tonight’ - Gonzi on PN proposals
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi fends off questions about night tariffs proposal and tablet proposals: ‘we’ll explain tonight at general council’.
25 January 2013, 12:00am
Nestor Laiviera
Nestor Laiviera
2 min read
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, alongside owner of Eurostar rabbit farm, Bertu Bonnici.
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi braved the winds and the rain to venture to the heart of Maghtab and tour a rabbit-rearing farm where, during the tour, he took the opportunity to pose for cameras holding a 15-day old rabbit.
The Prime Minister also fended off questions about the Nationalist party's proposals to introduce reduced night energy tariffs, and hand out educational tablets to all schoolchildren and teachers.
"What we announced yesterday was just a small part of the proposals we have lined up. We'll explain further tonight," Gonzi said, pointing to the PN General Council which will approve the proposals on Friday evening.
During a brief address, Gonzi underlined the importance of the local agriculture, farming, and fishing sector, saying that EU regional (ERDF) funding was essential in this regard.
He said that thanks to this funding as many as 18,550 persons benefited from EU assistance and were able to invest in their operation. He added that out of the €100 million allocated to Malta for this sector, €85 million have already been made use of.
Gonzi said that this allowed local produce to "leap forward in quality" in terms of freshness and quality.
He added that this is to the benefit of not only local consumers, but also tourists who come to Malta expecting quality produce, which they then enjoy.
Gonzi also recalled the support that his administration had provided farmers and fishers, such as a reduction of National Insurance by 3%, and also expanded rights over their land and greater freedom to hand-down land to children.
Gonzi also said that Malta is currently in negotiations with the EU regarding the next funding package, but did not comment whether said funding was likely or not.
"In any situation, the agriculture, farming, and fishing sector will remain at the centre of our focus," Gonzi said.
He added that the PN would be unveiling more proposals aimed at this sector, among others, later on that same day during its General Council.
He was accompanied by Ministers Tonio Fenech and George Pullicino, as well as several PN candidates, among them Michael Gonzi and Claudette Buttigieg (Pace).
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Pardon me, but usually it is customary for Politicians to hold babies and not rabbits. (A little political satire). Dr Gonzi let us be serious. Both of you leaders came up with the gimmick of offering FREEBIE tickets(35euro round trip)to citizens living within the EU. Now both of you leaders came up with the dumbest conniving idea of all. Giving FREEBIE tablets to students. I am sure that the kids would welcome that idea. Wow free tablet? Why don't you and your Merry men tell the general public how you intend to stop the wave crime that is taking place at the moment? Tell the general public how they are going to be able to afford the cost of utilities so they can warm there houses in this cold Winter? Tell us how you will manage to correct the incompetence, the politics and favoritism in our courts? Tell us how you are going to stop the political corruption? Tell how you lost your parliament because of one stubborn Minister? That is what the general public wants to hear. Stop promising things you cannot deliver and start working on the erroneous present before you promise the future.
Luke Camilleri •
Got some inside information of a Gonzi Plan to give Tablets to all even to 50+..... the "FAMOUS" BLUE Tablets from the POYC to perk and lift up the economy - On an idea of Dr. Gonzi himself , written and copied by his Deputy Dr. Simon !
GonziPN Choice - Tablets for all from 3 to 50+ ;)
Joseph Pellicano •
ghax ma zammitux daqxejn claudette il fenek.
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Of course he couldn't answer. Clyde and Claudio were burning the midnight oil last night trying to come up with figures and they hadn't even been close to finishing their sums before their Capo left Marsascala today. They have come up with something now that's great news for the Maltese taxpayer - NOT!
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Night tariffs? Our 'Smart Meters' are not even smart enough to be read from outside the premises, let alone to calculate night and day consumption. This is the gimmick Simon & Gonzifunkel have been talking about these last three weeks.
