Labour leader harps on open dialogue

The Labour Party expects collaboration and, above all, open dialogue with social partners but also criticism throughout 2009, Opposition Leader Joseph Muscat said yesterday.

Speaking at a reception for the social partners and the media, Dr Muscat emphasised that the party (PL) would keep its doors open to everyone.

Important decisions, not only for the party but also for the country, will be taken throughout the year and the opposition would experience a change in both its mentality and culture, a change that will not simply be one of appearance.

The PL, he said, could not limit itself to be an opposition of denial and criticism. The time had come for it to be proactive and offer solutions. However, this does not mean the opposition will not be tough on issues where it disagrees with the government and, in the coming weeks, it would be doing just that in Parliament on the energy bills.

Having said that, Dr Muscat added, there are issues that require consensus and collaboration in the interest of the country. The country needs a new class of politics, which leads to concrete results and not just political rhetoric.