Prime Minister Robert Abela acknowledged on Thursday that people want the government to move “at a faster pace” away from an economic model focused solely on economic growth and towards one that improves the quality of life for people.
Abela spoke at the conclusion of the release of the fourth annual State of the Nation survey, a yearly survey that gauges people’s thoughts on a range of topics, from the economy to religion, politics and culture.
While Abela praised Malta’s “unprecedented” economic growth (“we can’t remember what it means to have economic growth below 3 percent like other EU countries,” he said), he acknowledged that Malta’s economic growth has brought new challenges that need to be prioritized, particularly in terms of pressures on Malta’s infrastructure and demographics.
But he hit back at claims that Malta’s economic model relies on continued population growth, calling this analysis “wrong”.
“In reality, it’s the economy that caused people to move, not the other way around.”
He also argued that migrant workers bring challenges but also “skills and cultures that we can benefit from.”
“But we also need to analyse the skills of Maltese workers and how these workers meet our needs as a nation.”
Government to focus on “new, less-affected economic niches”
Abela promised to look at strengthening sectors of the economy that “have the least impact on our infrastructure”, naming several potential niches, from robotics to artificial intelligence, the digital economy, financial services and gaming.
However, he warned that this did not mean the government would ignore the core industries that generated Malta’s economic growth in the first place, such as tourism, construction and shipping.
“Our biggest mistake would be to ignore the feedback from rating agencies that praise our economic diversification,” he said.
Seeing the economy ‘through a different lens’: Claudette Buttigieg
The conference was also spoken by PN MP Claudette Buttigieg, on behalf of Opposition Leader Bernard Grech.
Buttigieg said last week’s election results sent a “strong message” on several issues, including the fact that “we need to look at Malta’s economic model in a different light.”
“This is an issue that the PN has been advocating for some time and it is one that needs attention,” she said.
Buttigieg also addressed the news that Malta, along with several other member states, will face excessive budget deficit proceedings from the European Commission.
“High spending during the pandemic is justified because it was necessary at the time to help the country get back on its feet,” she said.
“But we must condemn the waste, even if only through corruption, of millions of dollars that could have been spent on worthy social projects.”
Buttigieg noted that the blow came just a few years after Malta was placed on the FATF’s grey list.
“From now on, we will not be talking about the future direction in terms of environmental and social measures, but about the roadmap to get out of the excessive deficit process.”
Miriam Spiteri Debono: Will Maltese people do the jobs that foreign workers do?
Closing the conference, President Miriam Spiteri Debono expressed concern at survey findings showing declining interest in politics, especially among young people.
“We’ve lowered the voting age, so why hasn’t it yet made inroads with young people?” she asked.
“Is there enough synergy between politics and the people? Are we really ready to give everyone a say, even if it requires changing the highest law of the land?”
Spiteri Debono also expressed disappointment with the survey findings on multiculturalism and foreign workers.
“Maybe we should openly ask Maltese people who don’t want foreign workers whether they are prepared to carry out the jobs they are doing,” she said.
“They feel that some of the jobs are below their level, but they still expect these jobs to be done,” she argued.
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