Labour aims to strengthen hold on north of Malta

The Labour Party’s goal is to strengthen its hold on the North of Malta and solidify its position in the central and south regions, Labour leader Joseph Muscat said.

Addressing a well-attended political activity in Nadur, Gozo, the Labour Prime Minister described last Saturday’s elections as the confirmation of a changing society with his party succeeding “in reading the times”.

“The times of when a party thought it held a monopoly over one region or the other is over. The MEP elections have confirmed that the society is believing in a working Malta-for-all pledge and it understands that this is a different administration,” Muscat said.

The Labour leader said his party had retained its hold on the south “despite attacks by the PN to undermine that support”.

“We now have a strong presence in the Central region… and our goal is for Labour to become the party of the North, with an absolute majority,” Muscat said.

According to Muscat, the PL had recognised the changing times in Gozo and had thus succeeded in electing three MPs from the 13th district. Labour missed electing an MEP seat from Gozo by some 200 votes.

Agreeing that the electorate was suffering from campaign fatigue, Muscat suggested that EP and local council elections should be held on the same day. The issue will be up for discussion.

Muscat said the country spends over a €1 million every year for the different elections to be held: “It is time for the different elections to be brought together, saving time, money and energy. The citizens have had enough of political campaigning. They want us to focus on work and not campaigns.”

Muscat showed no signs the government will be slowing down during the summer months. He said that the government would soon be launching a project to fight precarious employment while changes to the public transport system will be implemented shortly. Other projects include the decriminalisation of drugs, cheaper tariffs for businesses, the split of the Malta Environment and Planning Authority, a savings plan for pensions and “big changes” to the taxation system.

Muscat also announced that the government will be opening an MCAST campus on the sister island. As things stand today, the various courses offered by MCAST in Gozo are spread across the different schools.

The Labour leader set much in store in lauding Labour MEP candidate Clint Camilleri as an up-and-coming politician who “will leave his mark” in politics.

The 26-year-old Gozitan, who also addressed the political activity, received a standing ovation after a speech that even brought tears to the Gozo Minister’s eyes.

Camilleri, who worked closely with the hunting lobby, said the hunters had sent a clear message of support to the PL during the EP elections.