ECB report shows consumer confidence at 'historically low' levels - Joseph Muscat

Muscat expressed this concern in a meeting with representatives from the Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry.

He said that the decline in consumer confidence levels, means that Maltese consumers are concerned about the current situation.

The Labour leader said that one of Malta’s biggest challenges is the energy sector, industry is burdened with high utility bills, and indirectly through less purchasing power by consumers.

Muscat stressed that higher utility bills put less money into consumers’ pockets, and consequently lead to higher justified calls for compensation.

He said that Labour is committed to provide stability, an essential tool for business to flourish.

“Labour favours support to the services sector, but we are disappointed at how government is ignoring the manufacturing industry,” Joseph Muscat was quoted telling the new Chamber board during the meeting.

A PL statement said that regarding taxation, Muscat said that his party was always consistent during the past two years, insisting on a long-term strategy covering more than one legislature, whereby tax burdens reduce on who works and who creates it, while polluters pay the price for it.

Joseph Muscat expressed ‘hope’ that political parties reach consensus on a vision for a ‘green economy’, and government – he said – agrees to this because it is mentioned in the pre-budget document for 2011.