Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1516098
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 18 FEBRUARY 2024 6 INTERVIEW Graham Bencini: 'PN still has a long road to convince people, but we believe' THE Nationalist Party's new shadow minister for finance, Graham Bencini, acknowledges the party has not been successful in convincing the electorate it is an alternative government. But he believes that the party can still convince people it is the best choice despite the long road ahead. Bencini denies the Prime Minister's audacity to lure back former Labour MPs like Rosianne Cutajar to the party is the result of a weak Opposition. He insists the Prime Minister is at- tempting this move to try and recoup the Labour Party grassroot vote. But he also speculates that this could also be a calculated bid by Robert Abela to instil apathy in the electorate. "Maybe that's the Prime Minister's aim; to de- crease the number of voters," Bencini says. I sit down with Bencini a few weeks after PN leader Bernard Grech tasked him to shadow the finance portfolio in a shakeup of spokespersons aimed at countering the Prime Minister's Cabi- net reshuffle. The PN MP, a former footballer with Sliema Wanderers, was elected for the first time in the 2022 general election and was previously spokesperson for sports and national broadcasting. We speak about his vision for the portfolio and the PN's current state as it prepares for the MEP elections. When asked if a PN government would cut income tax, Bencini says that if public finances are well-man- aged, personal taxes can be lowered. On the suggestion put forward by the Chamber of SMEs for the VAT rate to be cut to 15% from 18%, Bencini notes it could be considered, but says the impact on Malta's finances must be considered. Asked whether the PN agrees with energy and fuel subsidies, Bencini says his party agrees with all measures aimed at easing the burden of the ris- ing cost of living. He argues that the IMF's recom- mendation for the phasing out of such subsidies is not something that can be achieved in a simple way. Despite the recommendation, Bencini insists a PN government will not roll back the sub- sidies. A former footballer, Graham Bencini was elected to parliament for the first time in the last general election. The PN MP now shadows the finance portfolio after a recent reshuff le in Opposition spokesperson roles. He talks to MATTHEW FARRUGIA for his first interview. "The rules, policies and laws are there to be applied equally"