Day 2 of the run up to general elections officially started with a press conference delivered by the Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi during which he promised reductions in income tax and better incentives for women who continue to work, giving them a one year tax break for every child they have.

The maximum tax rate of 35% will be reduced to 25 % except for those with a declared income in excess of €60,000 (Lm26,000 approx).  Dr Gonzi  also promised that overtime will continue to be taxed as at present.

The Malta Labour Party started its campaign activities by a press conference by Dr Alfred Sant, flanked by deputy leaders Dr Charles Mangion and Dr Michael Falzon, in front of Castille on Tuesday morning. He stressed the importance of transparency and good governance which, he said, the Nationalist administration lacked. He also emphasized the need of zero tolerance to corruption.

Dr Sant promised that a Labour government would create an internal audit unit to monitor all government departments and anywhere where there is important financial interest, so that the people’s taxes are used well.  He also said that in a future Labour government ministers would have to relinquish personal commercial ties so as to avoid conflicts of interest.

The Malta Labour Party’s activities continued on Tuesday late afternoon with the party’s first mass rally.

Alternattiva Demokratika, the green party, released a video available on youtube.com in which AD’s chairperson, Dr Harry Vassallo, outlines the party’s main electoral themes especially the need to protect the environment and  the need to re-evaluate the impact of high property prices on Maltese families but most of all democracy and democratic principles.

In AD’s  video-message, Dr Vassallo urges voters to vote for his party as it is the only one which, as the third party, can introduce serious discussion instead of confrontation  in the Maltese parliament.