It was providence that the Labour Party commemorated what would have been the 100th birthday of its former leader and former Prime Minister Dom Mintoff today, a week early, according to current Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, because it was able to give Mr Mintoff what would have been his best gift: figures showing that Malta's unemployment rate is currently Europe's lowest.
Dr Muscat was speaking in Mr Mintoff's hometown of Cospicua this evening in an event commemorating what would have been Mr Mintoff's centenary birthday, next Saturday 6 August.
The Prime Minister recalled how Mr Mintoff had worked to release so many people from abject poverty and to create jobs.
Today, 100 years after Mr Mintoff's birth, the country is not asking others for charity but, on the contrary, it now has the lowest unemployment rate in Europe and, more importantly, today's Maltese youth have ever-increasing job opportunities.
Such results were only made possible because the government had taken decisions, Dr Muscat said, adding that there was still work to be done.