Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/825117
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 17 MAY 2017 News 7 INVESTMENT IN DISCIPLINED FORCES TO KEEP YOU SAFE Over recent years Malta has invested €85 million, co-financed by European Funds, to equip 4,500 members of our Disciplined Forces with new equipment and modern facilities. For better surveillance of our country the Armed Forced possess a larger fleet of three helicopters and three military aircraft, equipped with latest military technology. The Police has also expanded their fleet in order to increase patrols and strengthen Community Policing. New services have been launched to help victims of crime. The Civil Protection Department introduced a high-end radio communication system and is gradually upgrading its fire-engines fleet to improve life-saving operations. The Academy for Disciplined Forces is oering extensive educational programmes to develop the roles of the members into an avenue for a successful career. With an investment of over €7 million, co-financed by European Funds, international educational opportunities are being oered to strengthen skills and oer the general public a higher standard and a more ecient service. We are committed to keeping you safe. Busuttil blasts Muscat over spoof website: 'Your only weapon is lies' TIM DIACONO SIMON Busuttil tore into Prime Minister Joseph Mus- cat after the Labour Party launched a spoof website us- ing the PN leader's name as its domain name. The website, www.simon- busuttil.com, is replete with images and posts mocking Busuttil, his candidates and his proposals. "Such deceptive lies are un- acceptable in a democracy, and it is often the small things that give us an insight into how someone's mind works," Busuttil said at a political ac- tivity in Haz-Zebbug yester- day evening. "It shows that Muscat can no longer fight with the truth, but has to resort to lies. The only weapon he has left at his disposal is to lie, and yet I will fight lies with the truth and I know that the truth will tri- umph." In his speech, Busuttil also outlined the PN's recently pro- posed tax cuts, key amongst which is for income tax for people who earn €20,000 or less to be slashed to 10% of their earnings. This means that someone currently earn- ing €20,000 will see their in- come tax contributions halved from €2,275 to €1,090 The PN leader described this proposal as "radical" and said it will ensure that the econo- my starts serving the people. The PN is also proposing that income tax for part-time workers be slashed to 10% of their earnings, and that in- come tax for small businesses and people who are self-em- ployed be slashed to 10% on their first €50,000 in profits. He dismissed Muscat's warn- ings that the latter proposal will discriminate between different categories of work- ers in favour of self-employed people. "Muscat said that he disa- greed with our proposal to reduce taxes because it will amount to discrimiantion," he said. "Does this mean that he considers tax reductions for self-employed and small busi- nesses as discrimination be- cause we won't also reducing it for others who earn more? "We have reached a ridicu- lous situation whereby the on- ly weapon at Muscat's disposal is to twist the truth and to lie." He warned Muscat to "be careful" because the people are "furious at your constant attempts to fool them and treat them like imbeciles". "The people cannot wait for 3 June when they can vote to kick you out." PN leader Simon Busuttil underlined his party's proposal to slash income tax for people earning €20,000 or less Godfrey Farrugia: 'Malta will suffer if Labour wins election' TIM DIACONO PARTIT Demokratiku can- didate and former Labour Whip Godfrey Farrugia yesterday warned that Malta will ultimate find itself in a much worse po- sition if the Labour Party wins the election. Addressing PN support- ers at a political activity in his hometown of Haz- Zebbug yesterday evening, Farrugia chose not to criti- cise Prime Minister Joseph Muscat directly but rather "the leadership surround- ing him". "If the leadership wins the election, can you im- agine what would happen to the country's govern- ance, to human dignity, and to human life in five years' time?" he ques- tioned. "Can you imagine in whose hands the public health services will be in? Can you imagine the state of the environment, the sense of the social justice, and the state of the coun- try's moral fibre?" He criticised Muscat's de- cision to call a snap elec- tion at a time while Malta is holding the EU presiden- cy, and warned that "the leadership" is only trying to save its own skin. "In this moment of truth and honesty, I choose Malta," he said to cheers, in reference to the PN's electoral slogan. "Although this is a small island, it boasts a great culture and history, and the white and red of our f lag that distin- guishes us and gives us our identity." Fellow Partit Demokra- tiku candidate Monique Agius called on hunters and environmentalists to unite as one force to save the countryside from the threat posed by developers. In her speech, she re- counted how Front Harsien ODZ had in 2015 invited hunters to form part of the movement against the gov- ernment's plans to develop Zonqor Point. "Everyone has the right to go for a walk in the coun- tryside without having to go abroad," she said. "Poli- ticians have to learn how to stop taking people for a ride."