‘We are working for you and for the country, while PL is doing the opposite’ – PN candidate
Nationalist Party election candidates Rebekah Borg and Errol Cutajar criticised what they described as a series of U-turns by the Labour government during the current electoral campaign, arguing that several recent proposals were copied ideas previously put forward by the PN.
Speaking at a press conference, Borg said the party had consistently focused on policies aimed at improving people’s lives, while accusing Labour of doing the opposite and bringing these issues forward only because the election is nearing.
She pointed to the proposal of the Child Trust Fund – worth €5,000 for each child – that the Nationalist Party had previously proposed, saying that when this proposal was brought forward it had been criticised by the PL – only for the party to now come up with a similar idea.
She added that the Labour Party has now proposed a Birth Bonus, noting that this shift raises questions about why the measure was not adopted earlier.
On work-life balance, she referred to proposals made by the PN in 2020, where PN MEP David Casa was the pioneer of the work-life balance proposal, which included measures that would go beyond European Union minimum standards.
She said the Labour Party had voted against this proposal. This led to discussions about the four-day work week from the Nationalist Party, but again the Labour Party criticised this proposal. Again she emphasised how now that the election is coming up, the PL conveniently proposed the Compressed Work Week.
Borg also addressed the 15% corporate tax, which the PN has advocated for to ensure fairness. She argued that Labour is now moving in the same direction, but only within the context of an election campaign.
Planning reform was another area she highlighted. Borg said the PN had long called for a comprehensive overhaul of planning laws, which the government had previously described as unworkable. She criticised what she described as inconsistent changes and a lack of genuine consultation, adding that claims of agreement with NGOs do not reflect reality.
PN candidate Errol Cutajar focused on health and infrastructure. He referred to the PN’s proposals, made in its first week of campaigning, to build four new hospitals. He said that the Labour Party had reacted by claiming the PN “does not understand” and would “cause disarray “with this proposal.
He also took aim at past spending, saying “Labour has no problem destroying everything: they paid €400 million and we got absolutely nothing from them,” concluding that the government has “no credibility” in this sector.
He also added a political jab at the current health leadership, remarking that Chris Fearne appears to have become the main spokesperson for health, while Jo Etienne Abela – who is Health Minister – “is nowhere to be seen”.
On cancer care, Cutajar said the PN in 2022 had proposed that cancer medication should be free, arguing that patients should not have to worry about costs after a diagnosis. He criticised a 2024 shift in responsibility from the Labour Government where they stated the funds for these medicines would come from Community Chest Fund, saying little had been done and explained about the matter. “People out there can put their minds at rest that under a Nationalist government, cancer medicine will be free,” he said.
Cutajar also raised the issue of the MV Nikolaus, which is one of the Gozo Channel vessels, describing it as “money down the drain”. He claimed the government is, on the one hand, spending €13,000 per day to maintain what he described as a “junk” vessel, while also, on the other hand, criticising the PN’s proposals for new ships.
“Now the Labour Party, all of a sudden, is proposing new vessels,” Cutajar said.
On mental health, Cutajar pointed to what he described as two U-turns.
He said the PN had announced plans in 2023 for a new mental health hospital near Mater Dei, which was initially downplayed by government figures. He noted that Prime Minister Robert Abela has now announced such a project, questioning the timing. He also contrasted this with earlier remarks by Health Minister Jo Etienne Abela, who had suggested a ward would be sufficient rather than a full hospital.
Energy policy was another area of criticism. Cutajar said the government had previously blamed the interconnector for power disruptions, yet is now presenting it as a success, having started work on a second connection and announced plans for a third.
Both candidates concluded by insisting that the Nationalist Patrty’s approach is based on research and long-term planning. Borg said that while these proposals had been ignored for years, they are now being adopted by the PL “because the election is here”, arguing that Maltese and Gozitan citizens had been denied their benefits when they were first proposed.
RSS Feed Source: Independent Malta ‘We are working for you and for the country, while PL is doing the opposite’ – PN candidate