‘We need to work harder’: Borg ‘not happy’ with latest political survey

The Nationalist Party must work harder to be an alternative government which  the people would vote for, Nationalist Party leader Alex Borg said on Sunday, while reacting to new opinion survey results.

Borg was referring to a MaltaToday survey, which found that, according to current voting intentions, the Labour Party is supported by 48.7% and the PN by 46.1%, with no party holding an absolute majority.

The newspaper said Labour has not benefited from a post-budget bounce and its survey lead of 7,600 votes is actually lower than the 8,400 gap in its last survey a few months ago.

According to the survey, Prime Minister Robert Abela enjoys a trust rating of 45.2% and Borg is at 35.3%.

Just last month a Times of Malta survey showed Labour at 50.1% and the PN at 45.1%, giving Labour a lead of 15,000 votes.

“While the survey is a positive one, I am not happy with the results,” Borg said.

“While we made inroads, we will not win. We need to work harder so that we can provide an alternative (government) for the public, as the people deserve a better future.”

Speaking during a Q&A session with youth members of the AŻAD Future Leaders training programme, Borg said the survey how that the people want to see an alternative government with “one direction” to a better future.

“The people are seeing the PN ready to provide an alternative government with one direction, and the current government is trying to follow a thousand directions. People want peace of mind that their future government will provide a clear direction of where it wants to go.”

Borg was asked questions on various topics, including mental health, mass transport and the ICC Steward decision. 

At the beginning of the discussion, Borg made it clear that the party believes youths can and should be protagonists in discussions of the future of the country.

On mass transport, Borg said the party was ready to sit with the government to discuss the experts' studies on the possibilities of a metro. He said he was also ready to sign a memorandum of understanding to promise that whatever project one party began, the other party would continue if there was a change in government.

"We are clear in what we stand for," he said. 

"But the government has no direction on where it wants to go. Our Prime Minister says one thing, and our Finance Minister Clyde Caruana says the discussion on mass transportation is linked to 'silly season'. Then our Prime Minister, once again, talks of a €2.8 billion study on mass transportation."

On the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) ruling on the Steward hospital concession, Borg repeated his comments that the government was trying to hide the truth from the public. The government declared "victory" but the tribunal said there were no winners. 

"Not only are the Maltese and Gozitans the true victims of this deal, but we now have to pay the shortfall of nearly €5 million," Borg said.