COVID-19 measures 'taken too late', Bernard Grech says

Opposition leader Bernard Grech said that the new preventative measures announced Wednesday were long overdue, while reiterating calls to declare a public health emergency.

"The measures had to be taken, but were taken too late," he told PBS head Norma Saliba during an interview on the Nationalist Party's TV station. 

Grech argued that schools should have closed earlier, especially with the knowledge that the new COVID-19 variant is more easily transmissible among children.

"I have faith in Charmaine Gauci and her team, but this doesn't mean that government is acknowledging what she's saying. I've said before that government is interfering, and she does not have enough freedom to do what is necessary," he said.

Grech stated that stronger screening is needed at all Maltese ports, especially at the airport. 

"Testing was being done randomly, where from every 10 passengers you test one, two or three. This brought about a risk - even though we're an island, where we can control who enters or leaves a country, this wasn't happening," he mentioned.

"To this day, even those entering from Sicily aren't given proper screening - just a temperature check. This isn't just an inefficiency but a scandal, you're gambling with lives."

He mentioned that the Nationalist Party is drafting up an economic recovery plan for a post-COVID Malta, which would focus on developing economic niches. Prompted on the costs of these ideas, Grech said that the party will seek to create new business activities while looking beyond financial incentives.

"There is no need to introduce new taxes if you know where you want to go," he said.

When asked about disciplinary action against Opposition MP Jason Azzopardi, who failed to file his tax returns on time, Bernard Grech assured that he had no problem in taking necessary steps against MPs breaching the code of ethics, and will do so against Azzopardi if necessary.