Sant spells out June 12 choice

The people would not be voting for or against the European Union in the European Parliament elections on June 12, but for the candidates who would best represent the interests of the Maltese within the Union, Labour leader Alfred Sant said yesterday.

Addressing supporters at Gharghur, Dr Sant said the choice to join the EU had been made a year ago. The June elections were not about choosing the EU, in spite of what the Nationalist Party was saying.

He said the Labour Party had always been, and would remain, consistent because it had always safeguarded the interests of the Maltese in all it did, and it would continue to do so.

The MLP would insist that any advantages of EU membership were to be enjoyed by all the Maltese and Gozitans, and it would do its utmost to limit the disadvantages.

Dr Sant described the June 12 elections as a choice between a vote for the PN, a vote for the MLP or a no-show. Those who did not vote would be helping the PN and that was why the PN was trying to stress that people who voted would be voting for Europe.

In house visits that he and other party officials were making, he was coming face-to-face with the daily problems faced by the people - unemployment and a rising cost of living.

He pointed out that because of membership there had been a lot of movement in prices over the past week, some going up and others down. He reiterated the need to create a price watch that would show why and how prices were fluctuating. But the government had ignored his proposal.

Dr Sant claimed new developments were being planned on the pensions front, but the government would only announce them after the June 12 elections.

The MLP was a member of the European Socialists, which had declared that state pensions should continue to be guaranteed. This was also the commitment of the Malta Labour Party. His party felt very comfortable as a member of the European Socialists because on issues such as employment and pensions they saw eye-to-eye.

With regard to council elections, the Labour leader said councils which had a Labour majority had implemented an average of 80 per cent of their programme, whereas those with a Nationalist majority only implemented 30 to 50 per cent.

But Labour councillors could make a difference even if they were in a minority. Deputy leader Michael Falzon stressed how important it was for Labour supporters to vote for Labour candidates on June 12, adding that it was their duty to do so.

The activity was also addressed by EP Labour candidates John Attard Montalto, Glenn Bedingfield, Owen Bonnici and Joe Debono Grech.