PN wants more consensual politics - Claudio Grech
Pours cold water on plans for a new mental hospital
Nationalist MP Claudio Grech said that the Nationalist Party intends to put forward a motion for the setting up of a Committee on Health.
"The Nationalist Party believes that the health sector is a crucial one. For that reason, it has put forward a motion so that the two main political parties take effective measures so that a consensual type of politics can be developed when it comes to the important and strategic matters in this sector," he said.
Grech explained that the main aim of this committee will be to discuss policies on health issues, and matters of importance to patients.
"We hope that such a motion will show the kind of political maturity which the party, in its capacity as the Opposition, would like to showcase during this legislature. Whilst it will continue its role to scrutinise and be critical of the government, it is also offering its participation in a proactive way," he said.
"Consensus in this field would mean that the prime policies and the principle decisions could be discussed between the two political parties. This, in turn, would ensure long-term politics instead of policies limited to individual legislatures," he said.
Grech said that the health sector had great opportunities to develop in medical terms, as well as technological ones. He said that these can "contribute to a higher quality in, and more sustainable health services in our country".
"PN also believes that the setting up of such a committee, and its consequent meetings, should serve as a place wherein Unions, NGOs and individuals representing the private sector could discuss important issues in the field. In this way, we would really be able to formulate a consensual type of politics," he said.
Grech also poured cold water on plans for a new mental hospital, saying that it was ironic how there was no mention of it in Labour's electoral programme.
"It is a bit strange how this proposal is not mentioned anywhere in the government's electoral programme, and it is therefore dubious how much the proposal has any strategic foundations. For this reason, the PN reserves its position until the government gives more details about the project," he said.
"In the opinion of the PN, the priority should always be the patients and not the institutionalisation of them," he said.