Prime Minister Robert Abela pledged continued increases to stipends, pensions and children’s allowance grants during a Freedom Day address on Thursday evening.

Abela said that pensions would be increased once again next year and that the government intended to continue raising stipends and other grants, such as children’s allowances. He gave no indication of what increases were planned.

The government first announced 2023 increases to pensions, stipends and children’s allowances during its budget speech last November.

Speaking on Thursday, Abela also indicated that the government intends to further increase stipends, over and above the standard rate, for students who enrol in subjects that will help address skill shortages in Malta’s labour market.

He said he looked forward to a future economy “based on diversification,” one where more women choose jobs in science, mathematics and technology.

The Prime Minister also promised that equality laws will continue to be strengthened and said new tax credits will soon be implemented to help people with disabilities.

Speaking at a ceremony in Vittoriosa just a few days after a Times of Malta poll showed that Labour's popularity has plummeted to its lowest in years with his own trust rating also taking a  hit, Abela highlighted measures undertaken by his government in several sectors and said new measures will continue to be taken to ensure justice is done with all.

The Labour government will continue to work on the good it had done and correct any mistakes it may have made, he said. 

He again promised a new state-of-the-art hospital in Gozo and a better environment.

People, he said, chose to trust Labour because it always kept its word and because it was not arrogant.

“I was and always will be with the people,” he promised.

“We have ideas and energy to implement in the future, we have the will to change when we make mistakes. Each measure we implement reflects the principles of social justice we believe in,” he said.

Abela noted that his government had retained water, electricity and fuel rates low and promised to keep aiding the people in shouldering their burdens, no matter how big the challenges are.

His government, he said, had given the biggest increase in pensions in history and more increases will be given next year.

Before his speech, Abela and his wife Lydia greeted party supporters as they walked down a red carpet towards a stage below the Freedom Monument.

The crowd, filled with a mix of ministers, party members and supporters welcomed the prime minister to his seat with rounds of applause.

At the end of his speech, the Prime Minister laid flowers at the foot of the Freedom Monument.

Correction March 31, 2022: A previous version stated that the PM announced increases, rather than pledged future ones.