At a discussion meeting entitled Renewal for the Future held at the Santa Venera Nationalist Party Club, the prime minister explained that education is involved in every aspect of social life and is the basis for the generation of employment and the harmony of all other sectors.

Dr Gonzi’s opening speech at the meeting was about education, while Parliamentary Secretary for Small Businesses and the Self-Employed Edwin Vassallo spoke of the importance of commercial activity and how the work being done by other ministries can improve trade. The PN’s youngest MP, Joe Falzon, also addressed yesterday’s gathering on the subject of environmental issues.

The Prime Minister explained that a common thread ran through each and every point raised during the meeting: work. A person educates him or herself in order to find a successful and fulfilling job, he said. Through education, people get the jobs they deserve and can work towards a better future for the whole country.

Education lies at the core of the PN’s ideals and Dr Gonzi explained that as institutions of education become more successful, the government’s challenge to fund them becomes greater. The Prime Minister said the rebirth of MCAST – what used to be the Polytechnic, before being dismantled by the Malta Labour Party – had proved to be a great

success, with 3,500 full-time students and another 2,800 applying for this year’s courses.

This is a great success, he said, but the government must finance the institution in order to continue providing quality education. This is vital because through education, “we can give children the tools to forge a better future for the whole country,” he said.

The Lm6 million mentioned earlier had gone towards improving 120 schools: 70 primary schools and 50 secondary schools. This improvement was not just aesthetic, Dr Gonzi explained. A foundation has been set up to address the problem of illiteracy in the south of Malta and even in Gozo.

In his address, Mr Vassallo described the fight against bureaucracy as being like a scientist relentlessly trying to get rid of a virus. He mentioned that some excessive red tape has already been removed, such as the simplified process of applying for a trade licence.

“Commercial activity is doubling every day and this generates competitiveness,” said Mr Vassallo. The fight against bureaucracy is so important because it encourages efficiency and this translates into a better service being given.

Mr Falzon spoke of the impact the environment has on the people and the government. Environ-mental awareness has been raised, but one must always remember that the environment must be sustainable, he said.

The Malta Environment and Planning Authority is trying to address this issue through the “planning gain” concept. Mr Falzon explained that this involves developers making applications for sizable projects having to pay compensation for the resulting impact on the environment. Several restoration and embellishment projects have come about through these payments, he said.

Dr Gonzi brought the meeting to an end by referring back to the importance of education. He explained that parents should urge their children to explore fields in which new job opportunities will soon present themselves. New pharmaceutical factories should be opening as well as financial companies, he said. “Children should be made aware of these opportunities so they can maximise their chances and open new doors.”