Muscat says 'utility bills pledge' is reason enough to vote Labour

Labour leader Joseph Muscat this evening highlighted the main proposals of his electoral manifesto on health, education and social services.

Responding to questions by TX presenter Miriam Dalli in Qawra, Muscat harped on the message that a Labour government would be a government working for the people all throughout the legislature.

The Labour leader said it would be useless for the electorate to complain about utility bills, about Arriva and about the power station if come 9 March a PN government is re-elected.

"If you want change, vote for change. Not for the sake of change or because you are tired of others. But, because we are offering a concrete plan. We have a roadmap with 20 priorities aimed at bringing about change. It is a clear choice. our pledge to reduce utility bills is enough," he said.

Muscat also urged everyone to tune in to this evening's debate organised by the Broadcasting Authority where the Prime Minister and Muscat go head-to-head.

According to Muscat, the stark difference between the two parties laid in Lawrence Gonzi's closing comments. According to Muscat, in his appeal to the electorate, Gonzi said there were the red and blue colours on the ballot sheet which "divided" the two parties.

Muscat said this was "exactly the difference" a new government would be pushing for. "It's not about the colours of a political party but about a fair and just society where a government is not led by the few for the few. It's time to start a new chapter where the crux is not who you know but what you know," Muscat said.

Muscat reiterated that the 9 March choice was about choosing to live better: "It is a clear choice between a past which divides and the opportunity to write a new chapter in our country's history."

He said that he would be offering a quality leap in how a government operates "through an open leadership".

"We will hold ourselves accountable for the decisions taken and we won't forget about our citizens during the five years. We will continue knocking on your doors throughout the whole legislature," he said.

Muscat also reassured those who received promotions that their position would be retained under a new government. "Those of you being told that if a new government is elected on Monday you will be fired, I can assure you that you have nothing to worry about."

He once again insisted that the PL was still the underdog, that surveys didn't count and that the "government system was still working endlessly".

"But we have enthusiasm on our side," Muscat said.

Fielding questions on education, Muscat said he wanted teachers to feel secure and protected at their place of work. "It's unacceptable to hear of cases where a teacher is assaulted at school," he said, adding that a Labour government would also see that academic changes carried out would be catered for the individual schools according to the needs of the students.

Rebutting criticisms of "a supermarket policy" over the parties' electoral pledge to provide students with tablets, Muscat said the PL's proposal formed part of a strategy to fight illiteracy. "It's not a freebie but a proposal which forms part of our fight against illiteracy. We want to continue building on the good that has been carried out in the education sector," he said, adding that a Labour government would attain new results.

Turning his attention to stipends, Muscat said that it was a PN administration which decreased stipends from €125 to €83.

Speaking on health, Muscat said his pledges were doable because it was all about choosing the right priorities: "Just like others didn't give up on building a new parliament we won't give up on giving the best quality and free healthcare services."