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‘2014: a challenging year ahead’ – Prime Minister
During 2013 government learned it needed to ‘listen and consult more’.
10 January 2014, 12:00am
Miriam Dalli
Miriam Dalli
2 min read
Prime Minister Joseph Muscat
2014 is going to be a challenging year during which the Maltese will expect us to honour the electoral pledges, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said today.
Addressing New Year drinks for members of the media and constituted bodies at the Labour headquarters, Muscat said it was "of satisfaction" that the government was to implement the tariff cuts in March, a year after the pledge was made.
"This year the Maltese are expecting a party that honours its pledges. It will be a challenging year with a number of projects waiting to be implemented. We are convinced that these promises can be honoured and financial goals will be met," he said.
Reiterating that the public will test the government and expect results, Muscat said his government had also "learnt a lesson".
"We need to consult more and to listen more," he said, with reference to the government's lack of consultation during the original proposal of the Individual Investor Programme.
During 2014, the government is expected to give precedence to the judiciary reform, present the party financing law before parliament's summer recess, work on land reclamation projects, initiate the discussion on shops' opening hours and the local warden system revamp.
Muscat said the government was in the process of rolling out a plan which would improve the services given at Mater Dei Hospital and the provision and distribution of medicine.
"The hospital is inundated with problems and the situation is not good at all. The biggest challenge is the capacity," he said, attributing the problems to MDH being "a smaller hospital".
The government is also expected to announced new measures to combat poverty. Poverty in the country is two-pronged: the unemployed and the working poor.
2014 will also be "the year of civil rights" which, Muscat said, will see "a courageous government which is not led by polls".
"Minorities have to be respected, even over the issues which are not popular. We will be there to support the minorities," he said.
Muscat also confirmed his intent to initiate discussions on the decriminalisation of drugs.
Miriam Dalli joined MaltaToday.com.mt in 2010 becoming assistant editor f...
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Yes all commendable , and the PM is to be congratulated for standing his guard with reference to Civil Unions and the eradication of poverty, getting the country in line with the rest of Europe with a decent Justice system and a party financing law. Predictably the PM however, makes no reference to Culture and the Arts. What he is saying loud and clear is that he can't be bothered regardless of the fact that Malta stands to fail miserably in 2018 should the present non leadership continue in the culture sector. How is this compatible with his 'the very best in Europe ' mantra? 2014 is going to be a challenging one particularly if he insists on ignoring the big elephants in the room. Culture and the arts could be a good tool both for job creation and the reduction of poverty if only the PM could realise it. The public will test the government and the public is aware that as things stand unfortunately this government intention of honouring its pledges for culture and the arts are at best suspect. That much is becoming clear.What a shame one can only pray and hope for a Road to Damascus moment for the PM re the Arts. His intervention is sorely needed I trust he can get the sector's trust back.
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We are all one nation, one people so let's get behind the government and support their efforts regardless of personal ideology...Malta comes first and we are all Maltese.
