Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and Nationalist Party leader Simon Busuttil went head-to-head today in the first of a series of debates before the June 3 general election. Ivan Martin provided a blow-by-blow running commentary of the proceedings.
3.40pm That's a wrap. Students are now shuffling out of the stuffy Sir Temi Zammit Hall, some on their way back to lectures, others to continue chatting about what has just been a gruelling almost three-hour-long debate.
3.35pm: Simon Busuttil: In the last closing statement of the debate, Dr Busuttil tells the audience "we are here because of Joseph Muscat". He repeats his electoral mantra that this was an electoral choice between Dr Muscat's interests and those of the country. On June 3, he hoped, reason would prevail and the people would chose the country's interests. The debate ends to loud chants of 'Simon, Simon, Simon' from the students gathered in the hall.
3.30pm: Marlene Farrugia: Tells students that in 2013, the country had voted overwhelmingly for change which was never realised. This was why the Partit Demokratiku was born - to offer people real change.
3.25pm: Arnold Cassola: He also drew on his party's campaign slogan, telling those gathered that if they did not want to vote for corruption, but couldn't vote PN, "the greens are here to offer you a clean option".
3.22pm: Joseph Muscat: In keeping with his party's positive campaign strategy, Dr Muscat kept his closing remarks optimistic. Youth involvement in national debates was hopefully going to be a more regular occurrence, he said. Dr Muscat also drew on country's 'learning experience' from the introduction of the morning after pill. "This group of women, young women, got involved for something they believed in and affected change," he said. Hopefully this was a sign of the kind of future society we would live in.
3.22pm: The moderator calls an end to question time and instructs the leaders to give their closing statements.
3.21pm: Simon Busuttil: "Say hi to your Dad," he said, prompting a mix of applause and jeers from the crowd.
Question: A question from the audience, who turns out to be the son of labour MP Franco Mercieca, is directed to Dr Busuttil. It's about the PN's criticised proposal to encourage people to move to Gozo with a €10,000 grant.
3.19pm Simon Busuttil: The PN has presented 100 proposals on Gozo these are well thought out and will change the lives of people living on the sister isle.
3.18pm Joseph Muscat: The government has concrete proposals for Gozo and Gozitans and on connectivity, such as a plan for a fast ferry service.
3.17pm: Question: What about Gozitan students? What are the parties suggesting for us?
3.14pm: Simon Busuttil: Says he won't go back on the St Barts deal on Gozo General Hospital but will prioritise students. The Gozo hospital is currently being refurbished by Barts Medical School of London.
3.12pm: Joseph Muscat: The number of students will gradually increase to around 300. but we will be investing in new hospitals and healthcare centres to ensure students and patients get nothing but the best.
3.11pm: Question: A welcome change, this time a medical student in the audience wants to know about healthcare and the impact proposed privatisation could have on students' learning experience.
3.02pm Joseph Muscat: Insists the issues are being confused. The issue with Dr Mizzi and Mr Schembri was different from the Egrant allegations. His reply earns his jeers.
3.01pm: Question: And not for the first time this afternoon, the topic is mystery company Egrant. "If you promise to resign if Egrant is found to be in your wife's name, then why didn't your Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri resign?"
2.58pm Question: This time about the future of investment for Malta. Joseph Muscat bats this away with relative ease saying the future outlook for Malta was bright. Simon Busuttil on the other hand says investment required a clean reputation something Malta was struggling to hold onto.
2.57pm:Simon Busuttil: "Thank God he didn't touch stipends too," he said.
2:56pm: Another question for Dr Busuttil, this time about stipends; "You had warned that Labour would cut stipends, and were wrong here too."
2.55pm: Simon Busuttil: Dr Muscat ran the whole country's reputation into the ground, not the economy.
2.53pm: Question for Dr Busuttil - You had warned that Labour won't work. but you were wrong. How can we trust that you are competent to run the economy? Her rather aggressive tone and referral to Dr Busuttil as "Simon", earn her a few jeers.
2.51pm: Joseph Muscat: Insists he kept countless people in their place too. Those who felt aggrieved could take it to the Ombudsman, tasked with investigating such matters.
2.48pm: Question for Joseph Muscat - How can we trust you to deliver now, when you failed to deliver a Malta for all (Labour's 2013 electoral slogan). Your administration gutted government departments and replaced countless people when you took office in 2013?
The final stage of the debate: Questions from the audience
2.42pm: Joseph Muscat and Arnold Cassola trade blows. Dr Muscat compares him to former PN MP turned Labour government consultant Franco Debono after his phone rings on stage. Prof. Cassola hits back: "I'm surprised that bothered you since you've been receiving messages from [OPM communications officer] all debate.
Time check: Joseph Muscat has the most time left with nearly 10 minutes, double Simon Busuttil with four and a half minutes.
2.40pm: Joseph Muscat: Agreements were reached with involved parties. Discussions are now ongoing with planning authority, mostly related to height of the complex. His response does not earn him any applause.
2.40pm: Question for Joseph Muscat: Where is the multi-storey car park you promised University students?
2.39pm: Marlene Farrugia: "You can clean the country's reputation with your vote."
2.38pm: Simon Busuttil: I will send a message to Brussels that we are going to clean malta up. Muscat blames those who report on corruption: Its the message not the messenger.
2.37pm:Question: What will you do to clean up Malta's international reputation?
2.35pm:Simon Busuttil: "If you will resign if guilty then why not boot out Minister Konrad Mizzi when Panama Papers broke?" - his comments earn him a standing ovation from sections of the crowd.
2.29pm: Joseph Muscat: "I guess Dr Busuttil's answer is no". I am not power crazed - prompting a cry of "you should be ashamed".
2.28pm: Simon Busuttil: Dodges this punch too; "The allegations aren't against me".
2.28pm: Question: Will Simon Busuttil resign if the allegations surrounding Egrant are false?
2.27pm: Marlene Farrugia: Mental health wasn't taken seriously by past administrations, and neither by this one.
2.25pm: Joseph Muscat: This is no laughing matter, it's time for investment here. Goes over his proposal to revamp Mount Carmel, along with investment in community care.
2.24pm Question: Mental health problems are on the rise but we have a shortage of mental healthcare professionals along with a braindrain, what's the answer?
2.22pm:Henry Battistino: goes on a rambling comment ranging from slave labour, to equal rights and the environment. He is cut short by the moderator.
2.20pm: Dr Muscat is quick to ask Prof Cassola why he had not brought this forward sooner - the reply "I wanted to look you in the eye when I told you about it"
2.19pm Arnold Cassola: drops a bombshell - he met with a whistleblower from one of the biggest local factories, says workers are getting paid €3.99 an hour
2.17pm Simon Busuttil: asked how he can be trusted with LGBT rights - I am committed to maintaining all the rights given to the LGBT community and more. His appeals for national unity and not division, however, raises a few eyebrows.
2.14pm: Joseph Muscat: "The future is what we make it" and he says its there to be made.
2.08pm: Moderator asks Joseph Muscat how the he will assure the next legislature will be 'the best days of for the country'. Around 11,000 people are following a live stream of the debate.
2.05pm: Simon Busuttil: Puts forward his party’s proposals for judicial and other important appointments to be made with three thirds parliamentary majority for real transparency.
On green crednetials, says he learnt a lot from Arnold Cassola.Dr Muscat on the other hand had given 90,000 square meters of virgin land for the development of a private univeristy. Puts forward a commitment to give White Rocks to the people.
2.03pm: Arnold Cassola: Hits out at the PN's commitment to the environment.
2.00pm Marlene Farrugia: “The hypocricy of the PL", if a whistleblower says something they like then he or she gets contracts galore. A whistleblower who doesn’t sing their tune on the other hand gets attacked.
1.58: Joseph Muscat: Is quick to hit back at Dr Busuttil with another jab: while there may not be PN candidates with Panama companies, he said, one PN candidate had offshore funds and another had undeclared assets.
1:57pm: Moderator urges leaders to keep students' interests in the debate.
1:54pm: Simon Busuttil: Turning to Dr Muscat's comments on clean air, says the air was cleaned by the introduction of an interconnected. The audience bursts into a chorus of 'Simon, Simon, Simon'.
1:53pm: Voice from the gallery interrupts Dr Busuttil "we haven't heard anything about proposals" - the hall bursts into more applause.
1.52pm: Simon Busuttil: Question's Dr Muscat's confidence that the magisterial inquiry will fund him innocent, "is this because the evidence was already taken out of Pilatus Bank" he said.
1.50pm: Simon Busuttil: dodges Dr Muscat's challenge to resign. Instead he says he does not have an account in Panama, none of the PN's candidates do, no one from any party, he said, does.
1.46pm: Henry Battistino: Says the president should be in charge of law enforcement. No politician, he says, has ever done jail time in Malta and never will, as they all set up judicial and legal systems to protect themselves.
13:45pm: Farrugia: Says investing in the future isn't just about attracting large foreign entities to set up shop on the island. What was Dr muscat's vision for youths to start businesses or invest in themselves.
13:42pm: Cassola: Says students will have it good whoever is elected as both parties have turned "father christmas" with a long list of electoral promises. His remarks are peppered with the occasional dig at Dr Muscat over Panama allegations.
13:40pm: Muscat: Yesterday I was with the Ukrainian president - jeers from students - to get more investment to the country, he said, prompting applause from another section of the hall. CHALLENGE - Dr Muscat says if corruption allegations are proved false, Dr Busuttil should resign.
13:37pm: Simon Busuttil, there is something fundamentally wrong with the country, and that's corruption that is putting our country's future at risk. He draws the loudest of applause yet from the crowd.
13:33pm MPM's Henry Battistino: Representing the right wing Patrijotti, Mr Battistino says "sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not a skin head covered in tattoos".
13:32pm: Marlene Farrugia: I was part of the Labour Party but now I want to be part of a movement for all of yours.
13:30pm: Arnold Cassola: Calls for reforms to ensure more proportional representation, measures to ensure parties can't dominate public appointments.
13:26pm: Joseph Muscat starts with an opening statement, urging students to participate and most importantly to vote. in an international list published today, Malta topped the list of gay friendly countries. More social reforms were needed and these should be prompted by youths.
13:25pm: Like a boxing ref in the ring, Mr Hili explains the way the debate will be held, appeals for a good clean fight. First question why should students get involved in the debate?
13:23pm: Leaders take to the stage, Dr Muscat drew applause, but it was the arrival of Dr Busuttil that led to loud cheers form the crowd.
13:21pm: organisers urge students to keep the cheers and jeers to a minimum, as moderator Luke Hili takes to the stage.
13:20pm: The cavalry is here - Labour Party heavyweights Chris Cardona and Lydia Abela arrive with an entourageThe front two rows are made up of representative
13.16pm: Students burst out in laughter as an organiser takes to the stage to explain the reason behind the delay - Alleanza Bidla have apparently backed out of the debate. The remaining leaders have insisted the sixth podium is removed before the debate can start.
13.07pm: The debate is yet to start and students who didn't make it into the packed hall are heading to the Msida skatepark where organisers have set up a large screen to stream the showdown.
12:55pm:Debate moderator Luke Hili said the debate will be split into three sections and were all provided by students. The first section will be made up of questions submitted by students earlier this week, the second will be taken from a live feed, and the final section will be made up of questions from students in the now jam packed Sir Temi Zammit Halli.
12.35pm: Alleanza Bidla and right-wing Moviment Patrijotti Maltin are also going to be given debate time, although it is not yet clear how much.
12.30pm: Zaren ta l-Ajkla has also been spotted roaming the campus but it is also not yet clear whether or not he will be speaking.
12.24pm: Today’s showdown, being held at the University of Malta, will see the two leaders joined by Partit Demokratiku leader Marlene Farrugia and Alternattiva Demokratika chairman Arnold Cassola.
12.15pm: The debate is being organised by the University of Malta Debating Union, and student media organisation Third Eye.
Background: The debate already hit the headlines in recent days, first over speculation that Dr Muscat could turn out to be the only leader who would not be attending. The Office of the Prime Minister had said the debate clashed with a State visit and the organisers eventually agreed to move the event to today.
But then came controversy: student media organisation Insite this week published screenshots of PN sympathetic students allegedly discussing ways to “hijack” the debate by flooding the Ser Temi Hall with PN supporters.
Historic note: The University debate is no stranger to vocal student support. The 2008 edition had seen then Labour leader Alfred Sant booed into near submission by students, only for the tide to turn in the 2013 installment.
Then former Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi had been drowned out for large chunks of the debate.
This year students received an email instructing them that jeering will not be tolerated. Judging by the sound outside the hall, we’re probably in for another noisy one.
Debate structure:
The organisers this morning announced that Luke Hili, a final year law student will be moderating.
Organisers said it would be split into three sections, with leaders also fielding questions from students.