PN says government’s unemployment figures are ‘deceitful’

The government was today accused of keeping the rate of unemployment down by employing 2,000 people in the public sector.

The Nationalist Party said Joseph Muscat’s administration uses more energy on “playing around with figures” and spinning rather than creating sustainable jobs.

The opposition argued that government was giving a “surreal” picture of the situation by boasting of having one of the lowest rates of unemployment in Europe.
However, the PN noted that the rate of unemployment has been among the lowest in Europe for a number of years and accused government of keeping unemployment low by employing 2,000 in the public sector.

Moreover, the opposition accused the national broadcaster PBS of airing a news story “which attempts to give an impression that the increase in civil service jobs is not alarming.”

The public sector has contribute to 35% of the economic growth in the second quarter, the PN pointed out, adding that simultaneously a number of economic sectors grew smaller.  

Calling on government to be honest with the people, the PN said “A serious government uses statistics to create sustainable jobs, especially in the private sector, rather than toying with numbers. Government’s actions are nothing but an attempt to deceive the people and conceal the real economic challenges.”