Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1543384
it. "I will build on the good that has been done. Economically we're doing well, no one can say we're not doing well, but there are certain areas where we're not doing well." He said the Opposition has shown it- self to be credible on healthcare, espe- cially after it was the Nationalist Party that successfully challenged the Steward Healthcare concession for three public hospitals. Meanwhile, on transport, Borg said the Opposition has already said it was willing to sign a memorandum of understanding with the government to create a long- term plan for a mass transport system. Beyond that, he still feels that there are short term measures that could have a big impact on traffic flow, such as sched- uling waste collection for night-time and were possible, creating bus bays on stops so that traffic flow is not impeded. Journalist Matthew Farrugia asked Borg whether he would use the carrot or the stick to solve these problems. Borg said he'd avoid the stick but also questioned the appropriateness of certain 'carrots', mentioning the government's new meas- ure that pays €25,000 to every youth un- der 30 who gives up their licence. Borg doesn't feel most people are ready to ac- cept that offer, but he pointed to other "low-hanging fruit" measures that could still leave an impact, such as encouraging remote working. "Why should people be punished for the government's failures? We're suffer- ing from this traffic problem because of the present government's lack of plan- ning," he said. He said the PN in government would invest in a mass transit system. He be- lieves that a hybrid system would be the way forward instead of a fully under- ground metro. Clyde Caruana not as credible as people think Online editor Karl Azzopardi asked about Borg's relationship with Adrian Delia, a mentor-turned-political oppo- nent during the PN leadership campaign. Borg pointed out that he gave Delia the strongest portfolio in his shadow cabinet. "I was aware of the numbers on Clyde Caruana's side and wanted someone as his counterpart to give him a hard time," Borg said. He said he's happy with Delia's perfor- mance as the spokesperson for public finances. "He always brought results to the party. I look at results, not at wheth- er someone is a lawyer or accountant or economist." Borg also said he's sceptical of Carua- na's track-record on the economy. "Peo- ple paint him as this credible figure, and he has good qualities, but he was also the person who created a lot of the problems in the country today." He pointed out that Caruana was the brains behind the Labour Party's strategy to import foreign workers, and it was on his watch that public debt reached his- toric amounts. "He makes good points but on other matters he's aggravating the problem." Borg said a PN government would first tackle overpopulation concerns by carry- ing out and publishing a labour market study that would identify skill shortages and manpower gaps that could be filled in by foreign workers. Gozo Channel vessels priority over permanent link Laura also asked about a permanent link between Malta and Gozo, and whether he would prefer a bridge or tunnel. Borg said the priority should be the vessels that currently serve the Gozo Channel route. "I'm a commuter. A permanent link would make my life much easier, but Gozo shouldn't be an extension of Malta. It has its own beauty, its own identity and character. The first priority is to invest in new vessels between Malta and Gozo." He acknowledged recent government promises to upgrade the Gozo Channel fleet, but he hopes this isn't "a pre-elec- tion PR stunt". "A PN in government will make sure there are five new vessels— four for passengers and one for cargo that will go directly to the Freeport or Valletta." What is a national park? On planning and development issues, Borg maintained the party position that local plans should be amended and ad- journed but insisted development zones should not be extended. He said the PN is committed to plan- ning reform but does not agree with the bills proposed by the government. "We do not believe they address the real needs of the current planning system. We are ready to sit down and discuss reforms that genuinely respond to today's reali- ties." He's also sceptical of the recent govern- ment approach of "pointing to an area and declaring it a national park without any clear framework". He pointed out that there is no legal definition of what a national park means, and there were no budget allocations for planned projects at White Rocks, Manoel Island or Fort Campbell. "The prime minister talks about these projects but there is no fi- nancial allocation backing them up." "The first step is to define, within a 9 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 22 FEBRUARY 2026 NEWS maltatoday CONTINUES ON NEXT PAGE > row to cannabis reform: case for government justice, planning, transport and party financing PN leader Alex Borg's visit to the MaltaToday newsroom (Photo: James Bianchi/ MaltaToday)