Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/835410
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 11 JUNE 2017 3 News CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Indeed, private representations were in fact made with Refalo and even education and employment minister Evarist Bartolo over the recruitment drive. One of Gozo's most prominent businessmen, who insisted with Mal- taToday on remaining anonymous, summed up the problem: "A Gozo job with the government is consid- ered to be a life-long investment. We have seen individuals who had been employed for 10 years or more in the private sector who abandoned their employer for a government job at far lower earnings." The businessman continued: "They do this because they know that most of them will simply skive and leave their official place of work after 9am. To add insult to injury, some of those who have just been employed with the government, deserted their place of work and have now offered to work with their former employer on con- dition that they are not registered on their payroll." 'Malta must unite like never before' Labour job spree TIM DIACONO PRIME Minister Joseph Muscat doubled down on his call for national unity in the wake of last week's election, telling a Labour mass meeting that the country must "unite as never before". Thousands of Labour supporters turned up at the Granaries to listen to Muscat's victory speech, many waving Labour flags and wear- ing clothes with Labour slogans. However, Muscat quickly attempted to play down his landslide victory as a triumph of the Labour Party over the Nationalist Party, but rather one of "love over hate, unity over divi- sion, truth over lies, stability over confusion, and socio-economic progress over regres- sion". "Malta has long been used to being split down the middle politically with only minor differences between the two main parties, but over the past nine years this movement has won election after election with significant majorities," he said. "We cannot afford to lose ourselves in the euphoria of results and num- bers, but realise that this result is a clear sign that Malta is united behind our vision for the country." He once against extended a hand of friend- ship to the Opposition and to everyone "will- ing to work in the national interest". "The government has taken account of its mistakes and won't repeat them, and one major mistake was to allow people to create divisions within the public," he said. "My wife and I were insulted personally by people who wanted to throw us in jail. Although they said that about me, I will be the first in line to ex- tend a hand of friendship to everyone willing to work with me to help the country progress. "We must unite this country more than ever before, because Malta deserves more than the political insults, extreme accusations and lies against people whose only fault was that they militate in the party that we have witnessed over the past few weeks." Muscat dismissed concerns that Labour's landslide victory of over 35,000 votes was the result of the government abusing of its power of incumbency to dish out political favours. "Such results can't be achieved by hand- ing out favours and anyone who believes this is insulting this historic achievement," he said. "Such a majority could only have been achieved by a competent leadership that has a clear vision for this country that the people found hope in." The Prime Minister said he wasn't surprised at the scale of Labour's victory because he "has the finger on the public pulse and knew what people were thinking in the silence of their homes". He pledged to see out his five-year term in humility, to be close to emancipated people including immigrants and prisoners, and to not let the result get to the head of any in his team. "As soon as anyone starts looking down at people, I will remind them that Malta has re- jected that type of arrogance for good." Ahead of his upcoming testimony at the European Parliament on Wednesday dur- ing a plenary session on the Panama Papers and the rule of law in Malta, Muscat pledged to travel to Strasbourg as the "shield" of his country. "Some people in this country did their ut- most to tarnish Malta's reputation, but they soon realized that the public had rejected that tactic," he said. "I will be Malta's shield next week, and Malta will be defended by Joseph Muscat and this movement. "Malta is one, Malta is united, and we must now become a model for the rest of the world... we must become the envy of the world. 'Muscat best leader in Malta's history' In an earlier speech, PL deputy leader and economy minister Chris Cardona hailed Jo- seph Muscat as "the best political leader in Malta's history". "We aren't only celebrating the victory of the Labour Party against the Nationalist Party, but the victory of success against me- diocrity, normality and fear, of love against envy and prejudice, and of humility against arrogance and superiority." He told PL supporters to brace themselves for more economic success stories in the next five years. "We had inherited a stagnant econ- omy four years ago and achieved so much regardless... can you imagine what more we can achieve now that we're starting off from a budget surplus?"