Uncertainty, incompetence and instability

The Malta Indipendent online

06 March 2010

Lawrence Gonzi’s sixth year in government, and the first two since he won the general election, have been characterised by economic uncertainty, incompetent management and political instability which have harmed families and business, the Labour Party said.

In two years, Dr Gonzi had managed to break his main promises, it added.

• He had promised a budget surplus by 2010 though he was forecasting difficulties. Instead of a surplus Malta has a record deficit of €410 million.

• He had promised jobs, but unemployment has soared to 7,758, with seven workers losing their job every day last year.

• He promised social subsidies before the election, but had instead burdened the people with Europe’s highest increases in electricity and water – up by 18 per cent over 12 months.

• He had promised free health but is proposing payment for health

• He promised to lower taxation in the first two years but has raised taxes and burdens for the middle class.

The Labour Party said that in the meantime his deception in various sectors stands out. Before the election he promised peace of mind to shipyard workers, but after the election he closed down the shipyard; and he promised bus owners guaranteed work for 10 years but instead had bought out his lie by paying €58 million out of the people’s earnings.

Dr Gonzi has also been incompetent, particularly in the health sector which is riddled with problems and people are not getting a proper service. There are some 20,000 persons on the waiting lists, the hospital is again full of social cases, and there have been patients in hospital corridors; all this while the government is proposing payment for health care.

The Labour Party said these problems in running the country have deteriorated because Dr Gonzi was more intent on seeing to his party internal problems than on dealing with the problems families and businesses are facing. The government had in fact lost a parliamentary vote and postponed another, while postponing the debate on the extension of the power station, which will cost €200 million and pollute more.

The Labour Party said all this instability was damaging the country. While families, young people, students, the middle class, the elderly and businessmen were feeling the weight of the situation, of the cost of living and unemployment, the Prime Minister is choosing to spend some €100 million on a parliament building and to buy a promise he had made to bus owners.
http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=102641