The Opposition is like a driverless car - Joseph Muscat

The Opposition is like a self-driving car, driven by no-one, and people are asking, ‘Where is the driver?’ Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said yesterday.

Muscat was speaking during a political activity held at the Labour Party Club in Msida, where he compared the Nationalist Party to a driverless car, yet instead of specialising in artificial intelligence, it specialises in nonsense, he said.

“There is a phrase, ‘the tail is wagging the dog’, which is used to describe organisations that do not know who is at the head, and that is also a very clear way of describing the Opposition’s situation.”

Muscat reflected on Helena Dalli’s grilling session by MEPs on Wednesday, claiming that certain PN MEPs tried to discredit Dalli, but failed.

“Are people aware of what is happening in Delia’s party? That they tried to cause damage right up till the last hour of Helena’s grilling to try and get her nomination rejected. I ask the Opposition leader this; did those who tried to discredit her but failed do so with you blessing or behind your back? If they did it with your blessing, admit you opposed Dalli. if it was behind you back, be a man and take action now.”

He also highlighted that Commissioner for Standards George Hyzler had confirmed that Cabinet members had not had their salaries increased, as claimed by the opposition. “Hyzler said that none of this was true. Who will shoulder responsibility for this lie?” asked Muscat.

“The government’s aim for the budget is to see what we can provide for the people, and not what can be taken away from them”

Discussing the upcoming budget, Muscat said that previously people used to worry when the budget came round. “People were hesitant to see what prices would increase, to see an increase in petrol and electricity tariffs. Our aim as the government is to see what we can provide for the people and not what we can take from them.”

Muscat said that currently there are 177 vacancies for chemists, with only 13 Maltese and 13 foreign students having enrolled on the chemistry course at university this year.

“Once medical cannabis product ion starts, the 177 vacancies for chemists will rise to 250, taking us years to fill in those vacancies. We must find solutions (…) and the solution isn’t to ask factories to stop coming to Malta. These factories are an investment to improve Maltese people’s salaries and they will be paying tax in Malta. I am here to attract more investment,” he explained.

He also spoke about construction, saying that the economy was not growing because of construction, but on the contrary, that construction was taking place because of the economic expansion.

“Greed, is what is bothering people about the construction industry, that there are people out there who wish to only gain for themselves, instead of respecting one another in society. I believe that everyone expects a fair deal,” he said. “It is the government’s role to make people listen and to understand the new challenges,” said Muscat.

He highlighted that as the economy and society continue to develop, new challenges and difficulties emerge. “People understand that our government has solved many of the past problems. Yes there are new problems and it is this government that works towards addressing them and pushing the island in the right direction.” He said that a broken party cannot take such necessary decisions or actions.

Muscat explained that Malta’s economy was strong because it was diversified, and not dependent on just one sector. “The Maltese economy isn’t dependent on financial services, tourism, gaming or infrastructure, but each sector is important. If one sector faces a problem, the economy does not collapse, this is what sustainability is and it is a crucial point.”

He said that the challenge is to manage economic growth in a sustainable manner. “When we speak of sustainability we do not mean that the economy stops growing or moving forward.” Muscat reflected on former Nationalist Prime Minister George Borg Oliver, and explained that the main goal was to make Maltese and Gozitans ‘little rich men’.

“Our aim is to strengthen the middle class, to build a new middle class, remove poverty, to care for our elderly and provide young people prospects for their future; providing a good quality of life.”

A few more people than there where at the PN mass meeting - Silvio Schembri

Parliamentary Secretary for Financial Services, Digital Economy and Innovation Silvio Schembri began his speech by taking a aim at the Opposition, saying that Sunday’s crowd was a bit bigger than that of the PN’s Independence rally meeting. “Thank you for all being here, a few more people than there where at the PN mass meeting,” Schembri said as the crowd laughed.

Schembri said that the lens of the world was once again on Malta as the centre of technology. He explained that the DELTA Summit was a great success. “Along with members from six other EU states, we sat down and discussed the items that we are currently applying at a national level and which will be taken to a European level. This time, we did not sit to listen to them, but they sat down to listen to us so as to apply and replicate our processes in their own countries.”

He mentioned that he and the prime minister have come up with the AI strategy which will lead to an AI powered government. “AI technology will provide more opportunities, work and overall comfort to our country. We are already using AI technology in certain sectors such as healthcare, but now we are ready to go beyond that.” He said that they strategy includes six pilot projects which will be implemented over the next three years, to see how more people can use AI technology to their advantage.

“One example of these projects will be in traffic management, where we will have traffic lights which are intelligent enough to notice that there is no traffic and can change from red to green.”

He also mentioned that such AI technology come with ethical issues and questions. He mentioned as an example, what a driverless car would do if it has to take the decision to either run over a child who is crossing the road or to avoid that child and hit a wall with the consequence of hurting the passenger. “In this case, who is responsible? Is it the passenger, the person who developed the software, the person who made the car? We must address these issues, and that is why as a country we delved into this discussion.

“I do not want us to think of ourselves as a small country, as we have a lot of potential, are ambitious and work hard,” Schembri said. He said that the government is working to make a difference in the lives of Maltese and Gozitans.

Turning to the Moneyval report, he said that the government has taken on a number of recommendations and is implementing them.”

“Our job is to make decisions, and not to go on social media to protest why adult films are not working,” said Schembri, taking another dig at the Nationalist Party.

“Our work is to bring employment and prosperity for the Maltese and Gozitans.”

He said that he understands that the people are facing certain difficulties and issues, and that the government is here to address those issues and to work hard to provide the results for the people.

“We will continue to invest in education, healthcare, infrastructure and other sectors.”