‘It’s either me or Alex Borg. Who do you trust more?’ – Abela at PL mass meeting

Prime Minister Robert Abela told a Labour mass meeting in Mqabba on Sunday that the choice on May 30 ultimately boiled down to whether they trusted him or PN leader Alex Borg to lead the nation.

“I can deliver on our plan because I have a great team. The question you must ask yourself is: who has the best team to run this country when it comes to finances, energy, health, the social sector, justice and security, education, transport, sport and culture? And then, you must choose between Alex Borg and Robert Abela. Who will lead you best?” he said as the crowd chanted ‘Robert, Robert!’.

“Who is best to lead – is it me and my team or Alex Borg and his team, which is nowhere to be seen?”

Launching a fiery defence of Labour’s track record, Abela challenged voters to contrast his administration's economic delivery with what he described as an opposition offering no viable alternative.

“Who has a track record for being able to deliver on their manifesto? When I told you our economy would continue to grow, did it? When I promised a raise in pensions, did we do it? When we promised stable energy prices, better children’s allowance and stipends, did we deliver? When we promised we would create work and attract investment, did we deliver?” he said.

For each question the crowd chanted ‘Yes!’.

“For 13 years we have kept our word with you. One project after another, in every sector. Each measure building on the previous one. And we never took back measures, we only added onto them.”

‘A contract with you’

Two days after Labour’s electoral manifesto was published, Abela said the people still had only one manifesto to decide on.

"The PN said they were ready, yet the people only have one manifesto to decide on, and that is ours," Abela said, calling the document "our contract with you." 

He promised that a re-elected Labour government would begin delivering on its pledges as early as June 1.

He promised the momentum would continue with a series of powerful financial incentives, including a €1,000 annual super bonus for workers, an increase of €50 per week for pensioners, tax cuts for startups and families with growing households, increased stipends and home-loan assistance.

Abela also leaned heavily on last week’s signing of the deal that saw Manoel Island return to the state.

Robert Abela urged voters to collect voting documents and use them on May 30. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

“It was the people’s dream. We made that dream our project and we delivered on it,” he said, echoing Labour’s election slogan.

“Manoel Island is now yours. And that is what we will do in so many other areas in our country, because we want to provide more spaces where you can spend the extra time you’ll have with your family.”

A call to the polls

Abela also took time to emphasise how important it was for everyone to collect their voting document and use it on May 30.

"Make sure you use your vote so that you are the ones taking the decisions for your country," he said.

"We need your trust to turn your dreams into our project."

The mass meeting was part of a day-long fund-raising campaign for Labour. The party raised almost €650,000 by 7.30pm on Sunday.