Updated: Cristina 'not credible on €700,000, let alone our children's future' - Muscat

(adds government reaction)

Speaking during a one-hour interview on ONE Radio by Orizzont acting editor Josef Caruana on Sunday morning, Muscat explained how when the scandal first erupted, Dolores Cristina had claimed that she had not known about the case.

However, after Labour revealed that in November she held a meeting with the the Principal Permanent Secretary about the issue, she had slightly changed tack. “Now, Cristina is saying that she knew about the issue but not that it was in a crisis mode.  How can we trust Cristina with managing the future of our children when she bungled on €700,000,” Muscat insisted.

That was the reason why the PL had presented a no-confidence motion in Parliament about the scandal.

Muscat explained how a lot of families who, despite having taking care of their electricity consumption, were finding it difficult to make ends meet. “Nowadays there are families who cannot even plan their holidays,” Muscat insisted. There were families who were planning a holiday but “desisted from doing so after they received their electricity bills”.

Referring to the recently-released GDP statistics, Muscat explained that it was indeed true that there was growth in the economy during the first quarter of 2010,  but growth was limited for two economic sectors – the financial sector and e-gaming. Moreover, a foreign bank which has now been classified as a local bank had also impinged on the GDP statistics for Q1. “Two days later, the government held a meeting with the GRTU to discuss whether Malta has really come out of the economic recession or not. Has Malta really come out of the recession or not?” Muscat asked.

Muscat also criticised the Nationalist government's latest proposal to import medicines directly. “They did not do anything in the last 25 years and is now threatening to import medicines directly,” Muscat insisted. On the other hand, the PL’s proposal in this respect was to name and shame those medicine importers who keep their prices high.

Families, he said, were not making ends meet In fact, he mentioned the example of various employees who asked their employers to anticipate their wages with a couple of days since they could not cope with the rising cost of living. “On one hand, the government criticises us for promising to refund €50 million from VAT, while it finds €100 million to build a new theatre and another €50 million to reach an agreement with bus owners after reneging on his pre-electoral promise,” Muscat said.

The government has spent €25 million more on the Mater Dei Hospital while at the same time leaving out three important functions, including dermatology and oncology. And now the government was going to build a new oncology hospital at the Mater Dei car park.

Muscat spoke of revelations by Labour MP Evarist Bartolo, of documents belonging to the European Investment Bank showing that the power station extension will actually cost €290 million. Muscat said that among the lawyers that represent BWSC, the sub-contractors, Enemalta and BWSC’s Joe Mizzi, there are those who collect funds for the PN.

While the Goverment has not imposed any fine on BWSC for violating its contract when declaring that it and its sub-contractors has not been involved in corruption,  the government comes down like a ton of bricks on farmers who present their returns late, Muscat said. “We should be strong with the strong, not with the weak,” Muscat insisted.

Asked about the MT story revealing the salaries of the top people in Government department and entities, Muscat said: “I am preoccupied that the MEPA chairman is earning twice the salary of the President of the Republic, and earning more money for attending board meetings. We should have value for money where people in high positions really shoulder their responsibility,” he concluded.

Government's reaction
In a statement, the PN said Muscat had "shown himself to be unaware of economic developments and what the country needed to create more jobs. The service industry is growing and creating more employment - our country must offer the best facilities possible for this industry, such as Corporate Village."

The PN said the public-private investment of between €150 to €200 million in Corporate Village would offer better facilities for operators and the provision of more jobs, thanks to a greater space created for financial services.

"The Opposition is not understanding the development of the Maltese job market. Muscat has shown a lack of vision, and he does not have a policy on employment. Despite his desire to lead the country, Muscat has no policy on how to create jobs."