Independent: Technology can reduce energy bills – Muscat

http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=136153
Article published on 28 November 2011

[Excerpt of the article.]

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Speaking on civil rights and liberties, Dr Muscat said Malta cannot be European on paper only. “We should be progressive in this are too to safeguard minority rights. A Labour government would be legislating to protect families, for those who cohabitate to protect victims of abuse, especially children. These groups are all equal in our eyes,” he said.

Referring to homosexuals, he said a Labour government would be thinking about a category which hasn’t seen an improvement in the past 30 years. Gay people are a section of the population that is being hindered by the conservative powers, he said.

Civil unions for same sex couples will be introduced to protect them, he added.

On legislating IVF technology, he said, Mater Dei Hospital is already equipped with the technology needed, however, it is not being used to help couples have children because we a law regulating IVF does not exist.

“Despite that both the government and opposition agreed on the introduction of a law, the government is still dragging its feet on the matter. A PL government would introduce an ethical and realistic law to give couples the chance of having their own family,” he said.

Malta needs a new generation of social rights as the area has been neglected for far too long, he said, people have had enough of protecting what is theirs by right, with no progress registered in the area. We have to build on what we already achieved, he added, it is what the workers, the middleclass and businesses need.

Meanwhile, the government is not even sure whether it made a U-turn or not, he said referring to the maternity leave extension proposal.

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