Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/824559
maltatoday, TUESDAY, 16 MAY 2017 6 News PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRIS MANGION 'Mintoff would have brought down Muscat's government' - Busuttil TIM DIACONO SIMON Busuttil reached out to tradi- tional Labour supporters, arguing that former Prime Minister Dom Mintoff would have voted to bring down the cur- rent government. Addressing a political activity in the Labour stronghold of Bormla, Busuttil recounted how Dom Mintoff had – as a backbencher – brought down Alfred Sant's government in 1998 over its plans to sell off part of the Birgu coastline. "I know how often Dom Mintoff spoke here in Bormla, I know how much you followed him and I know how, like him, you believe that Malta should come first and foremost," he said. "You continued supporting Mintoff even after he voted against the Labour government because you believed that he did what he did in Malta's best interests. "If Mintoff voted against the govern- ment because he didn't want the Birgu coastline sold to foreigners, can you im- agine how he would reacted to this gov- ernment that sold Zonqor and Enemalta and privatised three hospitals. "I know that you are torn between your loyalty to the party and your loyalty to the country, but I urge you to do what Mintoff would have done and place Malta first and foremost." He said that the world's eyes will be on Malta on 3 June, to find out whether it will "opt for the interests of a few people or the national interest". Indeed, in his speech, Busuttil used Mintoff's famous 'Malta first and fore- most' (Malta l-ewwel u qabel kollox) slo- gan three times. He warned Prime Minister Muscat will do everything in his power to win the election because "he has too much to lose". "They want to buy people's votes so much that they are even sending free hampers to people," he said. "I pledge that the PN will clean up Malta's repu- tation and that a PN government will make people proud to call themselves Maltese once more." In his speech, he also recounted the PN's recent plans for people with dis- abilities, including increasing the dis- ability pension to the national minimum wage. A PN government, in partnership with parents, will also set up trusts where both the government and the families pitch in in order to provide for the future of persons with disability when their parents pass away. Salvu Mallia: 'Muscat like a blood-sucking mite' The activity was also addressed by the PN's candidates for the second dis- trict, including Salvu Mallia who – in a typically outspoken speech – said that Labour must rid themselves of Joseph Muscat like dogs must rid themselves of mites. "I'm sure that many Labourites will find it hard to vote for the PN because they love their party like I love my dog," he said. "They might be reluctant be- cause it might hurt their party in the short-term just like removing mites off a dog might hurt. Yet, Muscat is like a mite and if he isn't removed now then he will end up destroying the party they love." PN MP Stephen Spiteri, who received a warm welcome from the people in at- tendance, said that social justice must reign in Malta and that a PN govern- ment must build new social housing units, grant higher subsidies to people renting from the private sector, and en- force the principle of equal pay for equal work. He also said that it was only thanks to the PN's pressure that the Labour gov- ernment decided to partially site the American University of Malta at Dock 1 in Bormla, instead of wholly at Zonqor Point. In his first speech since his return to the PN as a candidate, Josie Muscat con- fidently called for Bormla to be trans- formed from a Labour stronghold into a PN stronghold, arguing that the PN wants to improve people's lives. Josie Muscat confidently called for Bormla to be transformed from a Labour stronghold into a PN stronghold, arguing that the PN wants to improve people's lives