Muscat tells party faithful’ best days are ahead of you’

In the traditional Worker's Day rally for the party faithful in Valletta, Labour leader Joseph Muscat said the "best days of this country are ahead of us."

In an indirect reference to impending elections, Muscat told the sizeable crowd in St George's Square "the time will come when families will judge the government and choose whether a change is needed. We will come forward with a clear roadmap on where we want to take the country."

He added that Labour will "embrace hope and overcome fear." As his address came to an end he told the cheering crowd "have hope and keep your feet on the ground. We have the best vision and the best plan for the country. Buoy up and through work we will create wealth."

On the current political impasse, Muscat warned the party supporters that the Nationalist Party will not give up power easily and "they will cling on till the very last day." He said the government was sacrificing the rules of democracy to remain afloat, although "the majority in Parliament wants a decision to be taken immediately and remove doubts on what should happen."

Muscat reiterated that the opposition is willing to find a reasonable solution but it would not accept more dragging of feet from government.

In the presence of a large number of MPs and new candidates, the Opposition leader repeatedly reassured the crowd that the party is "serene" because it was on the right side of history. "While others are stuck in their ivory towers, we are one with the people," he said to great acclaim.

In the first part of his address, Muscat underlined his party's commitment to meritocracy and social mobility. He said that each and every child should be given the chance for a better life, irrespective of the family name or background.

Muscat said the social mobility movement has a "common aspiration to the improve the life of the next generation." He explained that is the dream of all parents to see their children have a better life than theirs.  

"The key to social mobility is education," Muscat stressed, adding that education is a weapon to destroy the barriers of privileges.

He explained that education is facing the same predicament as health.  "Just as we have a new hospital we also have new schools. However, in spite of a new hospital, problems still existed in the sector. The country also has new schools but students are being left in metaphorical corridors," Muscat said.

He added that 36% of students were not continuing with their education after reaching the age of 16 and were leaving school without basic skills.

"Labour will wage a war without precedent against the social wound of illiteracy," he said. Muscat said the party will guarantee that every 16 year old will either be studying, in training or working.

The party will guarantee a future for all young people, including early-school leavers, Muscat said. "We need to grant everybody access to a better career and a better standard of living," he added.

In a rare reference to the party's electoral programme, Muscat said "the movement's manifesto will present a holistic strategy to combat unemployment, precarity, criminality, inadequate housing and poverty."

He also pledged to put employers and the self-employed at the centre of the movement, which he described as "the movement of business." He said workers and employers should be in a "partnership to create wealth."

Muscat described the new Parliament project as "narcissistic". In a Mintoff-style parable, Muscat likened the new Parliament building to a father of a family wanting to purchase a luxury car but could not afford to buy one or to take a loan for one and instead getting someone else to buy it for him and then take the car on loan.

He said the government is "throwing money away" on this project while cutting on the budgets of health and education.