Opposition leader Simon Busuttil said this evening that the government was not creating new sectors where the economy could maintain its growth momentum.

Speaking in reply to questions by journalist Pierre Portelli as part of PN Independence activities, Dr Busuttil said it was a shame that the only sector the government had developed was that of selling Maltese passports. To add insult to injury, the prime minister had been reduced to a salesman of the scheme and was in Turkey for that purpose.

VILIFICATION OF RELIGION

Dr Busutil said he disagreed with government plans to repeal legislation on the vilification of religion, but said this law needed to be updated.

Allowing vilification of religion could pose a threat to security, he said, especially when people were allowed to provoke others. This, he said was an act of foolishness (ksuhata) which could harm public order and national security.

His view was that there should be safeguards for all religions against extreme insults, seen as vilification, within the framework of freedom of expression. To date, he said, the law only safeguarded the Catholic religion. 

CORRUPTION

Dr Busuttil spoke on corruption and said the Labour Party sold its principles before the general election.

Dr Bussuttil said Mr Gaffarena had gone to him before the general election, seeking a permit for his Qormi petrol station, but the then government refused it.

"I told him I am not here to get my hands dirty. I'm here to clean up politics," Dr Busuttil said. But Mr Gaffarena got his permit soon after the election and the change of government.

To see the kind of corruption Malta was currently experiencing, one needed to go back to the Mintoff-Lorry Sant days. This was Joseph Muscat's achievement. 

Dr Busuttil promised that the Nationalist Party in government would deliver justice to those being discriminated against because of clientelism.

Clientelism, Dr Busuttil said, was a bubble that would burst in Dr Muscat's face.

"I will stick my neck out to ensure that those who have the right will get what they deserve, but there will be no preferences. That is the way to fight corruption, Dr Busuttil said, while adding that the prime minister was not fighting corruption.

CHEAPER ELECTRICITY

On energy, Dr Busuttil insisted that electricity prices needed to be reduced. Under the PN government the price of oil was some $120-$140 per barrel and now it was $40 a barrel, but the government had only reduced electricity tariffs by 25 per cent. Furthermore, power generation costs had been reduced further because of the BWSC plant and the interconnector built by the PN.

Electricity supplied through the interconnector was so cheap that the government was relying totally on it - hence the total blackout last month.

Dr Busuttil insisted there is no need for a new power station. The government was making commitments for a new €450 million project and needless tying the country to buy its output for 18 years when power from the interconnector was cheaper. This was sheer irresponsibility. 

Dr Busuttil also raised questions on the government's plans for a new Gozo hospital run by the private sector. He asked how the system would work: would some patients pay and others not? And what would happen to the workers? They had already been told that the workforce was too big. They were concerned about their future.

The PN, Dr Busuttil said, had hurt some people while it was in government, But it had learnt its lessons and it would be the shield and the voice of those who were being hurt.