In a lengthy fast paced interview, Joseph Muscat covered a vast range of topics. Malta’s political development across the years, his educational and political formation, the Labour Party’s transformation into a winning wealth generation force, and a sharp analysis of today’s political scene.

Before getting into the main points let us take you to a heartfelt tribute given to the late Prime Minister and ex Labour Leader Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici, described as a visionary with modernist ideas and as the individual that gave Malta the guarantee that the will of the majority will always prevail. We had covered this point in an earlier article here link.

The interview’s key points centered on what really matters to people now. 1) The largest ever investment in the environment, 2) Unprecedented financial stimulus to families, 3) The state of the Opposition, 4) Government performance.

The One Billion Euro Decision

Robert Abela’s Government will hold the record of the largest ever investment in the environment. This is how Joseph Muscat described the Government’s decision to permanently call off the lucrative developments of Manuel Island and the White Rocks, to now be permanently given to the public as green national parks.

Muscat, was all praise to Abela’s decision to break with past ideas to develop the two prime sites holding a complexive opportunity cost value of one billion euro. Malta is now rich enough to throw away a billion euro to invest in the environment.

Government is duty bound to explain how big and important this decision is, marking a decisive shift from the past. A decision that will offer a better overall environment on a large scale, and that will also build upon already registered improvements in air quality. More on this here: link

A Fantastic Budget with Unprecedented Family Measures

During the interview Muscat explained one the most important political fundamentals of trust. If the people trust you with their financials, they will trust you with everything. He explained the transformation that Malta went through, from the record unemployment figures associated with past PN administration, to the booming economy that continues to outperform European giants on a yearly basis.

The budget described by Muscat as a fantastic one that includes new solutions. With a set of family measures that are unheard of, Malta, through a much improved economic performance, has accumulated sufficient wealth to be able to invest strongly in what matters to it the most, the Maltese family, while also guaranteeing ever improved conditions to those that allowed us to become who we are today with great sacrifice, our pensioners.

A budget that continues to build on the work of successive labour budgets, that have been so successful that are now taken for granted. More on the budget measures here: link

An Opposition that Shoots from the Hip

The Opposition, who on paper should be going through its reinvigorating spring under a new leader that Muscat described as disappointing, is put forward as an entity that shoots from the hip on the basis of statements that are not properly studied.

Muscat took exception at the comments made about generic medicine. Comments he described as useless and that undermine Malta’s very own pharmaceutical sector. A sector that always received cross-party support, but a sector that now appears to be under attack from the PN who still claims credit for establishing it in Malta.

Another major contradiction picked by Muscat was Borg’s criticism of foreigners in Malta. Muscat invited Borg to be more specific on his intentions on by how many the number of foreigners in Malta will be reduced by the PN, and more importantly, on how this idea of reducing foreigners fits with the PN proposal for a 4 day week. A measure that at face value would require an additional 75,000 workers. More on this here: link

Despite the bleak analysis of the Opposition’s performance, Muscat had strong words in cautioning against complacency, and stating that underestimating a political adversary could have lethal consequences.

Government Performance

In the concluding part of the interview Muscat gave his thumbs up to Government performance. Commending Prime Minister Robert Abela who is doing very well, supported by a great team. Muscat also invited cabinet members to speak more and follow on the Prime Minister’s lead and energy in defending and explaining the great work and the unprecedented results being accomplished by the Government.