Missed Anything? Here’s Everything You Need To Know About PN’s First Week Of Their Electoral Campaign
From parking ticket solutions to a whopping €1 billion investment towards ten new societal sectors, the PN have certainly hit the ground running in their first week of the 2022 General Election.
It will be Bernard Grech’s first-ever election and will be a major test for the new PN leader, having been co-opted to parliament after he replaced Adrian Delia at the helm of the party in 2020.
With four weeks to go, however, the party’s still got some ground to cover, owing to the significant margin separating them from the labour party. Even despite the Nationalist’s attempt to capitalise on political hot points such as those of greylisting, COVID-19, and corruption.
Think you missed anything? Fret not. Here’s our weekly roundup for the plans Malta’s Opposition has laid out for us, should they be given the public’s trust.
20th February: Unveiling the slogan
Benard Grech rose to the occasion immediately, issuing a statement after the call
“The moment of proof has arrived,” he said in a snap rally called after the announcement. During the event, the party issued their electoral slogan: ‘Miegħek Għal Malta’ (With You For Malta).
Opposition Leader Bernard Grech kicked off the PN’s election campaign by pledging to invest €1 billion to create ten new economic sectors.
At the time, he hadn’t unveiled what the economic sectors were, alluding to the gradual release of information as the days go by, up until the electoral manifesto was approved on Thursday 24th February.
Grech also confirmed his contesting on the fifth district, the very same district as PM Robert Abela, and one which has voted in Labour majority in each of the last four general elections.
21st February: The plan
Details of the plan trickled out of the first PN Press release held after the General election was called. What were the ten sectors the party would fund with €1 billion?
Calling the investment a “seed” that would create prosperity for the country, Grech announced a number of modern sectors that he said an administration led by his team would promote on the island.
The areas he mentioned included projects in the Metaverse, artificial intelligence applications, 3D printing, Esports and producing video games.
Aside from these new sectors, the PN also vowed to strengthen already established sectors – such as those of sports, arts and education – by way of incentives and schemes to attain adequate training in foreign territory.
“We want to give greater incentives to those who have chosen sports for their career. Be them athletes or coaches. We will do so by providing them with a rate of tax of 5% on the first €80,000.”
“Persons registered as players, athletes and instructors, but even musicians and artists in the same disciplines will be able to benefit. Both art and sports can still find a place at the heart of our culture.”
What about COVID-19 restrictions?
Grech downplayed the Government’s current approach with respect to COVID-19, claiming that current restrictions were ‘discriminatory’. With available vaccines and a population nearing ‘herd immunity’, Grech vowed that the party would do their utmost to reduce and regulate COVID-19 rules to only those essentially required.
The Opposition leader spoke out more fervently against current restrictions two days later – during a visit to Lovin Malta’s newsroom, wherein he stated that the authorities “have no idea what they’re doing” and that they’re “just toying with us”.
The day also saw strong party candidates withdraw from the electoral race.
Surprisingly, PN MPs Clyde Puli, Kristy Debono, and Mario Galea withdrew their candidacy from the general election. A means for the party to open up the door to outsiders to steal their seats, come election day.
Later that evening, one of the party’s strongest candidates – Claudio Grech – also confirmed his stepping back from the electoral race.
“The party is regenerating ourselves before your eyes, we’re united and gathering strength,” Grech told PN supporters at a rally in Valletta.
And what of Gozo General Hospital?
Under Nationalist leadership, the Maltese will see the Gozo General Hospital taken from Steward Healthcare and returned to the public.
Grech also said that the PN will launch a massive capital project to develop a 400-bed general hospital in Gozo that will provide the best possible care to the island’s residents and visitors. Cancer treatment would also be offered directly from Gozo.
“I can also guarantee that anyone currently employed with Steward at the GGH will remain employed and will be absorbed into the project,” he said.
Solutions for educators, students, and parking tickets were also announced at an evening PN rally.
Although details of the PN manifesto were yet to emerge, PN candidate Justin Schembri announced that the Party will be providing students with a grant to leave Malta to pursue their education and return to the country as well-experienced professionals. An ideal way to strengthen the newer sectors the government would be investing in.
That’s not all. Grech, who addressed the rally at the end, even posed a final solution to parking tickets and other, nagging contraventions.
The proposal, announced by Opposition leader Bernard Grech on Wednesday, would see persons who have been charged with minor traffic contraventions, free of having to pay the fine should no further contravention be committed in the next six months.
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24th February: The Manifesto revealed
The Manifesto is based on a three-pronged principle, known as the ESG: environmental, social and good governance.
Among the most welcome of their electoral promises was the Trackless Tram.
The new, innovative means of transport – which would pass across all of Malta could be a reality in a shorter time frame than one would think.
This, the PN says, will make better use of road space to ensure that the system is fast, efficient, and reliable.
They also vowed to strengthen the political power of small political parties.
The party also drew up a national policy on substance use and abuse, with a focus on a holistic approach.
Currently, Malta doesn’t have a concrete policy covering all forms of drug use and abuse, and the topic is often subject to stigmatisation due to lack of education.
Under PN leadership, we could also see the end of Malta’s traffic issues, as we know them.
How? By way of underground tunnels and car parks.
But it doesn’t end there. PN proposals in this regard extended to innovative ways and means of informing drivers in advance of traffic accidents, launching a national programme to encourage bicycle use, and “incentivising” people to use public transport.
Malta’s homegrown businesses were also considered.
The Nationalist Party has announced details of a plan to revamp Malta’s taxation system to stop it from discriminating against Maltese businesses, slashing the corporate taxation rate from 35% to 15% for the first €500,000 of income that is reinvested in the business.
However, there is a catch; businesses who wish to benefit from this lower tax rate must first ensure they comply with ESG requirements.
Over a five-year period, businesses compliant with ESGs will also see their maximum taxation rate drop from 35% to 25%.
25th February: Malta stands with Ukraine
Russia’s military assault of Ukraine has left many of our countrymen in shock and awe. And while Malta currently maintains its neutral stance between the belligerents, Grech has voiced his immediate support for Ukraine and immediately called upon the Prime Minister to stop selling citizenship to Russian nationals.
Interviewed on NET TV, Grech cited unnamed reports that Russian nationals may have bought Maltese citizenship to “destabilise the country”.
He warned that allowing Russians to continue purchasing citizenship risks imperiling “national security” and stopping them from doing so will send a message of solidarity with the people of Ukraine.
The day also saw the Party’s offices light up in Ukraine’s flag colours to express its solidarity after the country was invaded.
“Ukraine, we stand with you,” the PN said.
What do you make of the PN’s first week of the electoral campaign?