Prime Minister Joseph Muscat smiled on Sunday morning when asked to comment about the reshuffle of the Shadow Cabinet.
"The sweetest one was Simon Busuttil's appointment as good governance spokesman. Perhaps he should start by investigating his own party leader, he will have quite a job," Dr Muscat said during a Q&A session at Marsaxlokk Labour Party club.
READ: Busuttil is new PN spokesman on good governance as Delia reshuffles team
One of the early questions to the prime minister was how 16-year-olds were being allowed to vote at general elections, but could not contest an election.
Dr Muscat said this was a major reform about which some people were skeptical. He was confident they would eventually come around. As for younger people being allowed to contest, a natural road had been started and there would be no turning back. He felt that an educational process on what it meant to participate in democratic life should now kick in.
In reply to other questions, Dr Muscat said that under the Labour government, pensions would continue to rise after not having risen for 25 years. Pensions should be such that pensioners would be able to save something for their grandchildren.
He referred to strong economic results announced last week, and said the government would not rest on its laurels but seek more growth.
He recalled that on Monday, a giant betting firm announced it would lay off more than 100 of its employees. But they were absorbed within a few hours. This showed how Malta needed to attract more investment so that problems with invariably cropped up could be dealt with immediately.
The same had happened with how ArrowPharma workers were being laid off. Now this company was being bought lock stock and barrel by a Greek company. Jobs had therefore been saved.
MIGRATION
On migration, Dr Muscat said that the government had been able to control the influx of migrants while saving lives.
He disagreed with those who argued that foreigners should not be allowed in Malta. A substantial part of Malta's economic success was thanks to the presence of foreign workers. Many were doing jobs which the Maltese did not want. Others were filling skills shortages.
Malta was fulfilling Dom Mintoff's dream of having created enough jobs, that others came here for work.
Action had to be taken not against foreigners, but against those who broke the law, independently of who they were. He said he was 'terrified' by how somebody in Italy had opened fire at migrants. Integration, he said was important and needed to involve everyone.
CONFIDENCE IN AIR MALTA
Dr Muscat expressed confidence in the future of Air Malta. He said that now that all workers were 'on board' for reform, take-off was under way and he was confident this would become the Airline of the Mediterranean, developing several new routes in the region.
RACETRACK 'WILL HAPPEN'
Asked whether a racetrack for cars will be built, the prime minister said that once it had been promised it would happen.
MAJOR FIRM TO PRODUCE MEDICAL CANNABIS IN MALTA
Dr Muscat confirmed that medical cannabis will be for sale legally in Malta.
He said that thanks to government work, a major firm producing medical cannabis was eyeing the possibility of setting up a facility here. It would thus be able to sell medical cannabis from here to markets all over the world.
PRIVATE SECTOR INVOLVEMENT IN HEALTH SECTOR
Dr Muscat underlined the importance of private sector involvement in the health sector. He said that under EU rules, the government would need 15 years to invest as much as the private sector would invest in two years. And such investment was urgently needed. Malta needed to ensure that all of the health sector had a world class infrastructure.
That included reopening St Luke's Hospital, upgrading Karin Grech hospital and Mt Carmel facility and rebuilding Gozo hospital.
Government plans still safeguard current working condition for all employees. And the health service would remain free of charge for the Maltese.
He said he had full confidence in deputy prime minister Chris Fearne, who will hold talks with the doctors' union on Monday, hours before a planned doctors' strike starts.
Dr Muscat said that if the issue was better understanding each other, he was confident agreement would be reached. If no one was prejudiced and wanted to stop the transfer from Vitals to Steward Healthcare, a deal could be struck.