Konrad Mizzi still absent from PL campaign; Muscat says everyone will get their turn

● Muscat attacks PN – PD coalition in response to Marlene Farrugia’s debate challenge

Kevin Schembri Orland Minister Konrad Mizzi has been inexplicably absent from the 2017 general election campaign so far, having been the poster boy for the Labour Party back in 2013.

Many suspect this is due to the Panama Papers scandal, and the fact that Konrad Mizzi, having been at the centre of the scandal, has been one of the main sources of discontent with this government. The Prime Minister, however, chose not to address the issue directly yesterday.

The Malta Independent asked Dr Muscat at a press conference yesterday morning whether Dr Mizzi has been kept from the public eye because the electorate associates him with the Panama Papers. “This is the sixth day of the campaign and there are many more days for everyone to be a protagonist in this campaign,” Dr Muscat said, without mentioning Dr Mizzi’s name.

On Friday, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat announced the possibility of regulating prostitution. He said that Malta cannot close its eyes to being called a place where human trafficking takes place. He was asked by this newsroom for his comment given that this indicates his belief that the police force has failed in this regard, and whether he believes such a move (regulation) would create a dangerous precedent.

“I mentioned three things recently. Firstly that the time has come to change the name of civil unions to marriage, as in truth there is no difference but the name. Secondly, there needs to be two discussions, one is about prostitution. I believe the systems in our country have failed us for many years. This is an area where there is an underground, and when I see international reports – including those by the US government among others – which say that Malta is being used for human trafficking and how people are brought here to be used as sex slaves, I believe we need a discussion as to what to do. We should not just close our eyes to it.”

As for the second required discussion, Dr Muscat turned to the issue of legalising the recreational use of cannabis. “We believe we should have a discussion about recreational marijuana in small amounts, in the same way as happened in Canada and Portugal. This does not mean a free-for-all, but that a discussion should take place.”

He expressed his satisfaction that the Opposition had agreed to take part in the discussion. He said he is personally in favour of legalising cannabis for recreational purposes

As for offshore accounts held by his Chief of Staff Keith Schembri, the Prime Minister stressed that Mr Schembri was a businessman and that most of the bank accounts he held were opened prior to the 2013 general election.

He said he already made it clear that Mr Schembri was wrong with regard to the opening of his Panamanian company shortly after the election.

On the topic of the press conference, Dr Muscat said the government will be working to increase pensions to 60 per cent of the average wage.

Dr Muscat said the minimum wage will be increased following an agreement with the social partners. The next step is to increase pensions, a target which he said was difficult but attainable.

He said the government will guarantee the cost of living bonus, including those who retired after 2008.

Dr Muscat said that a PL government would gradually give a full pension to widows and widowers once they reach retirement age. He also spoke of continuing to improve service pensions.

He pledged that if re-elected a PL government would introduce the opportunity for social security pensions for police officers, soldiers and CPD officers to be based on the present highest income, if it is higher than what they earned during their service.

Persons certified as having a terminal illness will receive a full invalidity pension, he added.

Dr Muscat also pledged that in cases of separation, divorce or the dissolution of cohabitation agreements, the rights for partners who would have spent time out of the workplace to take care of their family would be protected through legal amendments that would be introduced.

Dr Muscat also said that under a PL government, persons with two part-time jobs and no full-time job would be allowed to pay national insurance contributions for up to 40 hours a week.

He also said that a PL government would ensure the principle that no tax would be paid on any pension lower than €13,000 a year.

Prime Minister attacks PN -PD coalition in response to Marlene Farrugia’s debate challenge

Dr Muscat also addressed a political event in Rabat, Gozo yesterday evening and responded to the challenge issued by PD Leader Marlene Farrugia for a debate by taking a shot at the PN-PD coalition.

He once again dubbed the PN-PD coalition a “coalition of confusion” that does not know who is leading it. “Dr Busuttil invited me to debate Marlene Farrugia. I debate the leader of a party. If he decides to resign and to let Dr Farrugia take over then I will debate her no problem. They should do us a favour and decide who is leading by the time of a debate,” he quipped.

During the event, he spoke of the Gozo tunnel, and said that soon, government will make the necessary preparations for the next phase.

Dr Muscat criticised Simon Busuttil for wanting to kick out Vitals Global Healthcare and Barts Medical School. “Through this investment you will have a hospital that is better than Malta’s. This investment, along with the medical school, means that students will come to Gozo during the off-season. Their families will come to visit. It means that Maltese and foreign patients will come to Gozo. This means more people will be working here, living here, and spending their money here.”

Referring to the PN, he said: “You cannot say that you will attract more people to Gozo when you also say that you want to kick out the island’s best investment.”

The hospital workers who were employed by government will remain employed by government, he stressed.

He said that if VGH is kicked out, it would mean that the Gozo Hospital would no longer be sustainable, and that the workers in Gozo would need to be transferred to Malta.