Malta Federation of Industry vice-president Anthony Tabone yesterday led a delegation of FOI council members accompanied by director general Wilfred Kenely to a meeting with Investment, Industry and IT Minister Austin Gatt. The main scope of this meeting was for Minister Gatt to explain the details of the SmartCity Malta project to the Federation’s senior officials, and to explore possible areas of collaboration.

In his presentation, Minister Austin Gatt dwelled on the added value that this project will generate, both in its ICT and media content and also in its ancillary services such as retailing and accommodation. He invited FOI members to explore ways on how to benefit from the opportunities that this project will provide by creating synergies between different companies and bidding for service tenders.

Mr Tabone said that this unique project should enhance the credibility of Malta in the eyes of foreign investors, as well as provide a better platform to access foreign markets, especially through enhanced trade. “SmartCity Malta is a ‘decisive’ step towards the consolidation and performance of the Maltese economy, with the project aiming to ensure a more sustainable growth rate with more and better jobs.”

The federation believes that such a project could be considered as a vital element for Malta to remain competitive and enhance the efficiency of the local market economy, as this requires a constant flow of ideas and smart work, which SmartCity has the potential to sustain. Thus, the project should prove to be a good opportunity to attract talent from abroad in the form of foreigners or Maltese people who sought work abroad in previous years.

During the meeting, FOI officials discussed in detail a number of issues related to the project, such as the impact that SmartCity will have on the existing manufacturing industry and the human resource supply required by the project.