Opposition leader Adrian Delia has acknowledged his dismal showing in the polls but insists he is in for the long haul.
“I look at the surveys. The easiest thing to do is give up and leave. That is not the right thing to do”, Dr Delia told supporters during a Sunday address.
Prime Minister Robert Abela’s trust ratings have soared in his first weeks as prime minister, while Opposition leader Adrian Delia's have slumped to record lows.
Dr Delia said he had a duty to keep on fighting out of a sense of duty to the country.
He challenged Prime Minister Robert Abela to use his popularity and power to axe the controversial contract given to a private company to run three public hospitals.
On Saturday, the Nationalist Party published a 2015 evaluation report showing the role Panama Papers firm Nexia BT played in the selection process for the hospitals contract.
Dr Delia blasted the government for continuing to pump money into Vitals Global Healthcare despite the company’s failure to deliver.
The Opposition leader said after less than two years, Vitals “took the money and ran”, paving the way for Steward Healthcare to take over the concession.
He accused Steward of failing to spend a single penny on the three public hospitals.
Dr Delia said the company had even sent its "ambassador", former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, to ask for more money from the government.
He said none of the “thieves” behind the hospital had yet been caught.
“The truth will come out eventually, the truth will emerge, the truth will win”, Dr Delia said.
Dr Delia said apart from the Nexia BT partner sat on the selection committee, an engineer “handpicked” by former minister Konrad Mizzi and a person close to the General Workers Union had also played a role in the selection process.
On the environment, Dr Delia said Malta had one of the highest rates of deaths linked to respiratory problems.
He accused the government of being indifferent to these environmental problems, as evidenced by Malta ranking last in the EU in terms of renewable energy usage.