BUDGET 2008| Tuesday, 16 October 2007

Too little, too late, says Sant

“It’s too little, too late,” according to Opposition Leader Alfred Sant. Giving his brief comments shortly after Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi finished reading his budget speech, Sant slammed the measures announced yesterday as no solution to the increasing cost of living.
“Government wants to spread glitter without addressing the most important problem faced by the Maltese and the Gozitans: the cost of living,” Sant said. “The prime minister deserves condemnation for ignoring all the weight being carried by the people.”
The Labour leader said the budget lacked ideas for the creation of new jobs and for the strengthening of existing precarious employment that included many part-time jobs for young people.
“This budget is a repetition of past promises that have never been kept, confirming this is a government which does not keep its promises.”
Sant said the education budget saw 20 million euros less being spent in capital expenditure this year, while next year government will be spending even less.
“Gonzi’s government thinks it can keep playing with mirrors,” Sant added. “The problem is that when the people do their calculations, they will realise it’s a budget of a government that is afraid of the general election because it knows the Maltese and Gozitans want change. Tonight’s budget is driven by opportunism.”