“The government’s results during the past four years which includes record years for tourism, low unemployment rates and the creation of 20,000 full-time jobs instil confidence and courage for the future, while proving that only a PN-led government can take this country forward.”

This was the tone set by an upbeat Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi yesterday morning during his weekly Sunday address, which was surprisingly chaired by former UĦM Secretary General Gejtu Vella, as part of the May Day activities organised by the PN. In spite of the recent political developments, it was also significant that no mention at all about the rift involving backbencher Franco Debono was made by the Prime Minister.

In his replies the PN leader spoke about the fact that his government is being envied by other foreign leaders due to the country’s notable economic achievements in recent years in sharp comparison to the global recession that has taken its toll on other countries.

As a matter of fact, he referred to his meeting with the Austrian President Heinz Fischer who during an official visit to Malta last week made such a remark. Dr Gonzi said that Malta’s best asset is its workforce which always rises to the challenges ahead and emphasized the ever increasing female participation rate. He also praised local investors who are driving the local economy and thus creating jobs.

The Prime Minister cited results in the tourism industry since 2007 which include four record years; along with positive trends in job creation which include 5,000 jobs saved in the private sector due to the government’s support at the peak of the recession, and economic growth.

He said that the electorate will factor all this when deciding who is fit to run the country once again, “and history shows that the electorate always took this decision in the country’s best interest,” stated Dr Gonzi.

On the other hand, the Prime Minister warned that he will not let anybody ruin Malta’s reputation in the international community, which was earned as a direct result of the hard work of the Maltese people. He issued this warning with reference to the meeting between Opposition leader Joseph Muscat and the outgoing North Korean ambassador about a month ago. While acknowledging that Dr Muscat denied reports from the Korean state news agency which claimed that he (Dr Muscat) expressed his support to the communist regime, Dr Gonzi expressed his concern that the Labour spokesman did not deny Muscat’s justification of the rocket launch, which was universally condemned around the globe. He warned that damage to Malta’s reputation may have a negative impact on jobs.

In his replies, Dr Gonzi referred to several visits he paid in various enterprises and industries in the private sector in the past days as part of the May Day PN activities, which presented him the opportunity to listen to those involved from the media. In particular he referred to Methode Electronics, which was one of the private entities that received support from the Government, and explained that this not only resulted in the company not shedding any workers but in more investment in its local operations.

He said that the country has a bright future ahead, and cited the ‘Vision 2015’ document launched in 2007 that identified particular sectors of the local economy aiming to reach a level of excellence by that time. “This vision is now unfolding and turning to reality” claimed the Prime Minister.

In the coming days, the new aviation park will be officially opened while work on the life sciences park is already underway. He also referred to the national strategy on digital gaming launched on Friday which is also another potential source of foreign direct investment.

The activity was also addressed by a Gozitan student Celine Xuereb, who praised the stipends system and the heavy investment by the government in the educational system.

The Prime Minister explained that decisions today will have an impact not in five years time but rather on future generations. Thus it is important to treat this sector carefully. This is witnessed by the fact that past generations are still coming to terms with the University points system of 30 years ago.

The PN leader reiterated that his party will always put jobs and education at the forefront of its policies, especially those most vulnerable in society. He said that those willing to learn have loads of opportunities to prosper and improve their position in life.

Speaking on the eve of the eighth anniversary of EU membership, he described this important step as vital in creating these opportunities. He recalled Labour’s stance against membership, including the bad advice given by its current leader not only to the Maltese electorate but also abroad. “This is not to mention that Malta actually got €1 billion and not €1 million as had been claimed by the PL prior to membership,” said the Prime Minister. Other benefits of EU membership cited by the Prime Minister were funding for the new MCAST campus, the Malta-Sicily interconnector, restoration works, the sewage treatment plants, and the rehabilitation of Magћtab.

Regarding SMEs, he said that the government launched several schemes to encourage them to invest in modernising their operations, thus being more competitive and creating jobs.

In particular he paid tribute to Mr Sammut who also made a brief address in the discussion about his family owned bakery in Birkirkara. Dr Gonzi who paid a visit to Mr Sammut’s bakery in the past days remarked that this is only one of the many success stories of SMEs that are tapping Government funds through various schemes such as the MicroInvest. He reiterated his support for SMEs “which are the backbone of our economy” stated Dr Gonzi.

He also referred to efforts being done by the ETC especially to address cases which he personally came across of people in their fifties who lost their job. He said that in Gozo through the Employment Aid Programme 450 persons found employment in recent years.