PM urges youth to vote

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi yesterday made an appeal to young people and first-time voters, especially those who claim they are not interested in politics, to exercise their right to vote.

"This is not a question of not being interested in politics. Your future depends on your vote. Choose whoever you like but, at least, make the choice," he told a sizeable crowd of students on the University campus.

Once every five years voters have the privilege of choosing who will lead the country for the next term of office. While stressing that his government was giving back to the electorate a better, stronger and more attractive country, he told the students they should vote for who they feel was offering them peace of mind.

"That ballot paper is very important because your future depends on it. Make sure you make the right choice," he said.

Dr Gonzi promised to retain and strengthen the stipend system, saying the it was an investment as it encouraged young people to carry on with their studies in the country's interest. His government would continue to increase the stipend for those students who chose to take up courses in specific sectors needed by the country.

"When I was at the University, 30 years ago, there were only 700 students and only one female was in my law course. Now the University is nearly not big enough to take all the students. And this is good news because I prefer a campus bursting at the seams than one that is half empty."

Turning to politics, he said the Labour Party's proposals caused uncertainty and jeopardised what had been achieved so far.

He referred to Labour leader Alfred Sant's own admission of adopting a policy of tbażwir (bending of rules), saying that Dr Sant wanted to apply this policy to re-negotiate the deal Malta had struck with the European Union prior to joining the EU.

The same deal, he said, was part of the Lisbon Reform Treaty that the MLP voted for in Parliament three weeks before coming up with this proposal. "Four years have passed since Malta joined the EU and I am still waiting to hear Alfred Sant say that EU membership is positive and good for the country rather than simply that he accepted the people's choice," he said to applause from the students.