Bernard Grech claims that the ten economic areas proposed by the PN will generate billions of euro in investment and not cause any harm to the environment.
With one week to go before the General Election, PN leader Bernard Grech addressed a political event outside his party’s headquarters in Pieta on Saturday evening.
Joe Giglio, a lawyer and PN candidate, and former PN leader Adrian Delia were among those in the crowd. Francis Zammit Dimech, a long-time PN politician, was also present.
Before he began, Grech thanked party supporters for their support. He also expressed gratitude to donors who made donations to the party. “We are on a journey, not a departure but an arrival,” Grech said.
He derided the PL’s electoral manifesto, published just last week. “Other people,” Grech said, referring to Labour, “have no vision for this country, only a series of measures.” It was not true that Labour had a plan for mass transportation, he said, before commenting on Labour’s vague promise to deal with the cost of living. “They literally said ‘we need to tackle the cost of living.’ Gee thanks, but how are you going to tackle it?” Grech told his cheering supporters.
Robert Abela, the leader of the PN, stated that he had no solutions for his electoral program and would abandon voters who voted for him. “You need to answer this call,” Grech said, addressing voters directly. “It is useless for you to be discouraged…unless you pick up your voting document and go to vote on 26 March for the Nationalist Party, things will not change.”
“If you don’t want to wake up after 26 March to find Robert Abela with a big majority, or a bigger majority, you need to vote for the PN.” Grech urged Maltese citizens living abroad not to abandon “the party that gave you the opportunity to work in the EU.”
DJ Paul Hamilton addressed the rally and explained the difficulties faced in Maltese art abroad. The “wave of damage” done to Malta’s reputation a few years ago had led to him being to hide his nationality on promotional materials, he said.
Covid had damaged his career, Covid claimed. Yet, the government was only sponsoring foreign performers to play at large events funded by taxpayer euros.
“Unfortunately we are living in a bitterly divided country. We cannot carry on like this….A change is needed,” Hamilton said.
Grech was asked what he had in mind for the entertainment industry. He began by criticizing comments made by Julia Portelli, Minister for Inclusion and Social Wellbeing. “I am sorry to see that for some Labour politicians the artist is a lesser person, deriding them as hobbyists and attacking them as inferior,” Grech said, referring to Portelli’s recent dig at PN candidate, singer Julie Zahra, in which Portelli told Zahra that she “wasn’t on a stage anymore.”
Grech presented his plans to strengthen the artistic industry. “Those persons who choose the arts as a career, as well as those who choose sports, and their coaches and teachers, will be taxed at 5% tax on the first €80,000 of their earnings, because to strengthen the sector you need to strengthen those who participate in it.”
He also announced that a PN government would be giving a €3,000 grant to young artists participating in artistic events. ”The arts are not only about participation but also education. Like sports, it is an integral part of the holistic development of our children,” Grech said.
Every sector of Malta’s talent is outstanding. Maltese artists had made great strides in the face of government indifference, he said, “imagine how much they would achieve with the proper backing.”
“Environment at the centre of PN’s proposals”
Former journalist Sergio Mallia gave a speech about the PN’s environmental proposals, telling the crowd that a glance at the party’s manifesto would show that the environment “is truly at the centre of everything that the PN is proposing.”
Mallia stated that Labour was trying to scare businesses about PN’s Environmental and Social Governance proposals. “But most businesses are already in conformity with ESG, he stressed. “Do you know what businesses don’t like? Unfair competition.” Businesses which conformed to the ESG standard would be incentivised by the PN in government, he added. On the PN’s trackless tram proposal, Mallia said the choice was simple: “either we go for innovation or for 30-40 new cars on the road every day, that roads need to be widened, eating up land.”
Grech announced a €10,000 incentive for commuters not using private cars, and expanded on the PN’s environmental views. Grech stated that the PN’s ten economic sectors would bring in billions of dollars without causing any environmental harm.
“Labour isn’t telling you how it will reduce waste. It is stating that it will cause more environmental harm. It is not saying how it will expand the economy and therefore will continue to rely on the construction industry…It is useless to just plant a few trees.”
Marsascala property scandal involving Abela
On the most recent scandal to hit Robert Abela, regarding a Marsascala property deal, Grech said that Abela had entered a promise of sale regarding a property which should have been condemned according to regulations, but had, being the PA’s lawyer, misused his power to issue permits for the house he was going to buy himself. “Look at the abuse of power, and he is asking you to give him more power!” Grech said.
“Had it been you, you would have been fined. Robert Abela, did Robert Abela discover that the government architect had visited and found that you had given the property a lower value? If so, were you fined? Did you pay the fine? How dare you call other people tax evaders?” Grech said.
Grech emphasized the importance of voting in his final words.