1. Improving workers’ salaries.

Abela had wondered publicly how companies can boast that they are doing better than ever in this economy, without raising the salaries of their workers.

“I cannot understand how so many businesses tell you that their profits have exploded in recent years but then say in the same breath that they cannot improve their workers’ salaries. I cannot understand this,” he had said in a debate with Chris Fearne.

“With the strong position that the economy is in, the time has come to take the next step and improve salaries so that work can give dignity to people.”

He said he would push for “equal pay for equal work”, saying for example that it wasn’t fair for factory workers employed by contractors to earn less than their colleagues performing the exact same job.

2. Introducing a new social housing policy.

Abela has gone on record saying that though there were 1,000 social housing units currently being worked on, they were not enough.

He has since proposed a policy where owners of vacant properties can sell them to the government at market price, and then be converted into social housing, so as not to have to build new homes on virgin land.

He hoped to find 4,000 properties, from which 500 of them would be shortlisted and proposed funding the project through issuing bonds.

“Rather than the concept of free social housing what we would have is affordable housing,” he had said while noting that rent should not exceed 30% of a person’s monthly wage.

3. Limiting foreign workers and their effect on the job market.

Abela has set his eye on an influx of foreign labour that is allowing some unscrupulous employers to pay vulnerable workers below minimum wage.

“We need to better regulate foreign workers and enforce existing laws, we cannot have a situation of people living on €500 a month,” he had said.

He said that the cheap labour being brought to Malta made it easier to keep salaries for the Maltese low.

Saying that salaries should be pegged to their sectors, and should be paid by cheque or direct credit to minimise chances of abuses, he called on harder punishments for employers found to be abusing their workers by paying them very low wages including banning them from employing foreign workers entirely.

4. Introducing free medicine for pensioners.

Medicine for pensioners would become free over a period of five years, Abela had pledged.

Saying that the costs of medicine were eating away at a sizable amount of people’s pensions, he noted that this policy would cost around €40 million per year.

5. Reorganising the national broadcaster PBS.

Abela has put a reform at PBS as one of his main drives ging forward – but said that it wasn’t a popular idea among all members of the Labour Party.

“I don’t want to be populist but I’m facing resistance, even from within my own party, with regards to implementing changes in the national broadcaster. I believe that one of the main reforms that must take place in Malta is at PBS and I’m facing resistance, even from my party,” he said.

“Who truly leads PBS today?” he continued.

“Even though they aren’t part of PBS, they are pulling the strings from behind the scenes. Am I ready to accept such things for the sake of winning on Sunday? I’m fine with losing the election but I’m making my intentions clear; if I win, I’ll implement the necessary changes. I don’t want a victory above everything else, even if it means having my hands tied from implementing changes.”

6. Reforming the police force.

Following repeated calls from various factions to reform how the police commissioner is elected – namely, by being elected by two-thirds of Parliament – Abela said he wasn’t 100% sold on that idea, but he would include the Opposition in the decision.

“I will seek consensus on the appointment of a police commissioner and chief justice. It does not mean I will find it but I will try… we should be able to agree on someone who is credible and enjoys widespread trust,” Abela said.

He had also said that a new reform should include a new police commissioner.

7. Keeping the ‘passports-for-sale’ scheme.

Abela said that the funds made from selling Maltese passports could continue to be put back into social initiatives, such as the social housing scheme. He said he would keep the sale on but would be open to tightening the rules if necessary.

“Let us not destroy this source of revenue,” he said.

What do you think of these pledges?