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ELECTION SPECIAL €1.00 Newspaper post TUESDAY • 16 MAY 2017 • ISSUE 527 • WWW.MALTATODAY.COM.MT ELECTIONS DAYS TO GO 18 PAGE 2 Bishop Scicluna enters the fray with direct reference to the effect of corruption and lies IT was only a matter of time before the outspoken Maltese Archbishop would enter the political fray and say his bit. Yesterday his recorded mes- sage harped on social justice being the main victim of cor- ruption and lies. Archbish- op Charles J. Scicluna said this last Saturday. As he ad- dressed a conference on so- cial justice organised by the Social Assistance Secretariat of Catholic Action Malta, he said that politics should be the art of love that looks af- ter the common good because politics that works in favour of a few was actually counter- political. He told the conference that whoever governs should safe- guard the principles of truth and the common good. He added without making direct reference to recent alle- gations, that when the poison of corruption and lies perme- ates society, people's dignity is tarnished – as is the value of inter-personal relation- ships – leading to social con- f lict replacing social justice. "Justice means that when people take what is theirs by right, they should also accept what they deserve," he said. "Social justice demands that whoever governs safeguard the principles of truth and the common good." Scicluna said the govern- ment should adopt the same standards with regard to the environment, and should re- f lect then implement meas- ures that ref lect the sentiment whereby every man should promote an environment that raises the standard of living even for his descendants. He said he hoped Catho- lics in Malta would continue working towards a level of so- cial justice that would leave local politicians able to resist any temptation with regard to favouritism and clientelism, and able to work for the com- mon good. Scicluna said whoever governs should safeguard the principles of truth and the common good Labour promises free childcare as PN pledges 30,000 new jobs A new Labour administration would broaden a free childcare scheme and a PN government would create 30,000 high paying jobs over five years. PL leader Joseph Muscat yesterday said that a childcare scheme would allow more f lexibility in dealing with absentees, opening the scheme up to those who enrol in a full-time course, as well as offering a night childcare service. Muscat was speaking at a PL press conference, when he outlined the government's achievement in em- ployment and outlined a number of proposals for the coming legislature. Simon Busuttil at the same time was pledging 30,000 well paid jobs. On introducing better f lexibility for those not attending childcare cen- tres because of illness, Muscat said the way the scheme was run when it started sought to prevent abuse, however over the years it had become apparent that many had valid rea- sons for not attending. He said that efforts would still be made to pre- vent abuses, especially given that the programme was run using taxpayer money. Salvu Mallia: 'Muscat like a blood-sucking mite' PN candidate Salvu Mallia said that Labour must rid themselves of Joseph Muscat like dogs must rid themselves of mites. He was talking in Bormla yester- day evening. "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 because 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 de- stroying the party they love." See full report page 6