Labour leadership candidate Marie Louise Coleiro-Preca yesterday accused the Gonzi government of not abiding to its promise to widen the tax bands.
Asked whether the government would be justified in postponing the income tax cuts in view of the worsening economic climate, Coleiro-Preca said: “This is another dishonest promise which the government did not keep. Gonzi was ambitious and opportunistic in promising something before the election and now he’s not keeping his promise. The government, as a responsible entity, is obliged to commit itself to the people and stick to what he promised before the elections. It is not possible to have a government to failing its commitments.”
Addressing the press outside the ministry for social policy, Coleiro-Preca also said the Housing Authority’s equity sharing scheme, which the government had promised back in October, had been suspended without any alternatives provided for young couples buying property.
She said the rental market was too high for young couples and families to afford. The scheme offered by the Housing Authority was not adequate to suit Maltese and Gozitan citizens, Coleiro-Preca said.
Coleiro-Preca also criticised the suspension of the Energy Saving Rebate and Energy Plan. “The dissolution of the scheme, in getting rebates on class-A appliances which are more energy saving, is a big drawback for the young couples.
“The Nationalist government is not only being dishonest with the Maltese and Gozitan population, but also with the European Union, since it has committed to reduce conventional sources of energy by 2013,” she said.
Coleiro-Preca said that with her as leader, Labour would work to achieve a national policy on housing aimed to help young couples and families. “I will make it a point to appoint a group of experts, specialists and NGOs within this sector as this would help improve this sector in our country.”