Malta’s surprise 2016 budget surplus is credit positive, because it accelerates the decline in the Maltese government’s debt burden one year earlier than forecast... thanks to higher tax revenue, despite the decrease in tax-rates, both because of higher business profits and an increase in household earnings.
That statement comes from no other than Moody’s credit rating agency when commenting on the €100 million surplus in Labour’s budgetary performance last year, the first for 35 years.
The long list of firsts achieved during the initial four years of Dr Muscat’s government has been further enriched during the past week. A historic collective agreement for 30,000 public service employees and that for the increase in the national minimum wage by all social partners in 27 years came as perfect socio-economic background to the inauguration of Malta’s first gas-fired power station. All this and more adds stronger motivation to attend tomorrow’s annual May Day celebration in Valletta.
More firsts for a generation
For too long we heard “Labour will not work”, and that the only future for our Labour movement was a bail-out. Well, we are the proud movers that there was no bail-out and no increase in debt, to the point that we have wiped out the debt burden that the previous government had accumulated. We have also halved the number of people with severe material deprivation, practically eliminating the same number created between 2008 and 2013.
Most importantly we did not burden families but consistently lowered income tax bands, made unprecedented investments in the education, social and health sectors, created free childcare, introduced in-work benefits, created a record number of quality jobs and reduced utility costs by €80 million – Labour’s major electoral promise.
We registered the second highest surplus in Europe and have maintained pole-position in the EU with respect to the rate of employment growth. This proves that this Labour Government not only works, but it is the only Government that has proven to be responsible in managing its finances.
We have created a new economic model which lifted the burden of debt from the next generation and gave them solid foundations on which to build their future. This is exactly what Labour means when it describes its policies as ‘prosperity with a purpose’.
Attempts to destabilise
In reaction to all these unprecedented successes there are those who unscrupulously but strategically aim at destabilising this progress. On the one side, this country is witnessing a number of firsts, strong track records and good governance that we have not witnessed for decades, with robust legislative safeguards. On the opposite side we have those who are so hungry for power that they cannot even realise that with their false accusations they can seriously damage the credibility and high esteem that this country enjoys worldwide.
Our agenda for the country
Facts speak louder than words or fake news and Maltese and Gozitans will eventually give the best judgement. The government moves ahead with its agenda for the nation, aiming higher for the wellbeing of our people. Our first four years in office stand out as the foundation phase for better things to come.
Together with my colleagues within the cabinet, the past week has been packed with various events in the elderly and disability sector. I was the proudest participant at a seminar for all stakeholders around people with disabilities where Prime Minister Joseph Muscat spelled out yet another first in this sector – with one thousand people with a disability having joined the labour market over the past four years.
It is amply clear that our specific legislative measures, professional training and empowering programmes have been reaching the desired targets. The heavy investment in such programmes and the upgrades in our training centres, together with the support given by Jobs Plus, Aġenzija Sapport, the MCA and families and NGOs, has been a fruitful process all along. Enriched by this positive experience, we look ahead to strive further with more ambitious targets in the coming years.
Open to innovative proposals
Last Monday I was invited to preside over the prize-giving of The Social Innovation Challenge: Enable and Engage organised by my office together with the Edward De Bono Institute of the University of Malta, with the support of MAPFRE Middlesea. It is essential that we have academics who can think outside the box and come up with innovative ideas that contribute to our policies and strategies.
While congratulating this year’s winner, Dr John Mary Farrugia, and runner-up Amber Keurntjes, I explained that although wide consultation had led to our strategic policies, we are always open and flexible to innovative proposals. Although equality and equity are fundamental principles, as policy-makers we promote possible and feasible innovations that strengthen our action in both fields towards higher efficacy and efficiency.
Holistic care of the elderly
This week I welcomed the European College of Gerodontology who held its annual congress in Malta, with a very interesting theme: Overcoming Barriers in Oral Health in Later Life. I addressed the congress on the subject of our demographic trends which indicated that, in 2016, the number of people aged 65 and over in Malta was 19 per cent of our population, with average life expectancy showing age 83.7 for women and 79.3 for men. These figures are higher than the EU average, as a result of which the Maltese government faced the challenge of dealing with the diverse needs of an older population through an unprecedented list of socio-economic and fiscal measures.
Our heavy investment in rebranding the long-term care facility at St Vincent de Paul provided an interesting showcase for the European delegates, who praised the high-quality dental clinics and laboratory we have established in the past two years together with the University’s Faculty of Dentistry. We are now at an advanced stage of discussions to extend this facility to Gozo. Our holistic approach to elderly care is evident in these and other medical clinics, having opted to regard the older members of our society as people rather than patients.
Intergenerational solidarity
For the third consecutive year we celebrated the European Day dedicated to inter-generational solidarity with two important initiatives. One was at Wardija Resource Centre, with the implementation of the Achieve Programme that involves the older people attending our day centres engaging in a number of activities with young people with disability. The other event was held at St Vincent De Paul, where we launched the Farfett (Butterfly) competition for schoolchildren. This initiative enabled children from various schools – this year including Kerċem Primary School in Gozo – to come and share experiences with our residents.
More awareness in Gozo
Activities in Gozo this week were focused on raising further awareness of the autism spectrum. A special day at Victoria Primary School, on the initiative of the student council, was held to raise awareness about the wide range of different needs and abilities of those on the autism spectrum. Children, teachers and the school administration participated in the event and I applauded their enthusiasm to raise awareness of this condition that affects millions of adults and children around the world. While this generation of children are learning more about autism and how to communicate with children with the condition, more knowledge and awareness would lead to more inclusiveness both in schools as well as in our communities in general.
On the same theme, it was my pleasure to accede to a request from the Gozo Diocese in the Catechism for people in the autism spectrum. The support items will cater for a group of around 30 children and can subsequently be reused by other children. This is based on the current demand in Gozo and means that, through this initiative, all children with autism who participate in such classes in Gozo will be covered. It will encourage more inclusion of this sector of our community through such activities. I strongly believe that every child has abilities and we should provide every chance for these abilities to be realised and shared with others from as early an age as possible, thus helping children learn about the benefits of living in a fair society.