“The Maltese pension system has a significant redistributive function, and contributes to the protection of the elderly against absolute poverty. The impact of the reforms initiated in 2014, and the subsequent refinements thereafter on the labour market, has been quite positive.”

This encouraging statement by the European Commission this week reflects the Government’s ceaseless efforts to reach out to a fast-increasing section of our population. With almost 67,000 people in the 65+ age bracket, we have been singled out in the EC report as being among the best 10 countries where the old-state pension has been increased over the past three consecutive years. Another important aspect is that life expectancy in Malta and Gozo – 82.1 years for women and 77.5 for men – is above the 71 years global average, according to United Nations’ statistics for 2017. Longer life expectancy is usually associated with highly developed countries with healthier lifestyles and good and reliable health care.

 

The well-being of the elderly

Having been responsible for the elderly until a year ago, it is always pleasant to note Labour’s performance generally in this sector, while distinguishing itself with high rankings among all other member states in respect of the adequacy of state pensions. Suffice it to say that the same report points out that the situation for those at the lowest level, who receive the smallest pensions generally through the non-contributory system, has improved, some substantially. This is also confirmed by the fact that, between 2014 and 2016, there was an 11.5 per cent fall among those at risk of social deprivation.

The current well-being and feel-good factor in general may sometimes lead many to forget that it all started with bold reductions in utility bills during Labour’s first year in office. Other benefits included more free medicines in stock and several free social and medical care services in the community, topped by the live-in carer scheme, which I am proud to have introduced during my tenure in office in the sector. We are already committed to maintaining the improvement in the next and subsequent budgets, after long years of neglect by Nationalist administrations. Without any doubt, this week’s EC report further increases our resolve to secure a good quality of life for our senior citizens.

 

This week in Parliament

I have been fully engaged in the House this week, debating various issues of particular interest to Gozo. The Government’s priority during the first legislature was to turn the economy around in order to improve the quality of life for Maltese and Gozitan families. This led to many firsts and today the country has one of the best European economies.

The time has now come for us to take the next step – a substantial leap forward in the quality of the infrastructure in our country as befits its citizens. This was a main election promise by the Labour Party last year. 

I personally had insisted that the manifesto for Gozo specified that the island will benefit from its fair share of the €700 million mega project for building new roads across both islands over a seven-year period. This week, we have rolled out the official implementation with new legislation with the setting-up of Infrastructure Malta – an agency that will be responsible for the building, management, improvement and maintenance of arterial, residential and rural roads in the Maltese Islands.

Months of discussion with Minister Ian Borg and his team have ensured that all necessary plans and works in Gozo will be handled in full liaison with the Gozo Ministry. Furthermore, Minister Borg has assured us that Gozo’s share of funds will be in addition to the current budget line item providing an annual €1.8 million which we have already been diligently spending in just a few months for road-building and upgrading areas that had been neglected for decades. During these last few months I have reiterated that the resolve with which we have started on Gozo’s infrastructure will drive us further on major and necessary projects in the coming months and years.

 

The environment

During my intervention about the new Environment Bill, ably led by Minister José Herrera, I spoke of the various initiatives taken by the Gozo Ministry in this field. We are fully aware that the serene landscape must be preserved for the enjoyment of posterity. Tourism, however, is an indispensable industry for Gozo and all our efforts should be aimed at safeguarding the whole island and its shores as a primary concern of great importance.

Gozo’s green credentials were given a boost last year when it was named as the best sustainable destination of the Mediterranean. Gozo’s clean waters, heritage sites and the eco-Gozo 2020 strategy were all cited by ‘Green Destinations’ when awarding our island-region the top placing

The EcoGozo directorate has been revamped with a motivated team, including the introduction of the intervention teams for public tidiness. Our plan up to 2030 will shortly be finalised for consultation, giving Gozo – for the first time ever – clear direction on the environment. We need to identify potential sectors for economic growth and job creation in Gozo and the impact of these on spatial planning implications and other impacts where sustainability is crucial.

We are already committed through an approved masterplan for Marsalforn and similar ones in the pipeline for Xlendi and other seaside resorts. The current cleaning and rehabilitation work in our valleys are tangible proof of our resolve to safeguard our environmental and cultural heritage within the holistic landscape that is so particular to Gozo for our own and future generations. 

The Blue Economy

It was an honour yesterday to inaugurate a seminar on the Blue Economy, organised by the Ministry for Gozo – EcoGozo Regional Development Directorate, the International Ocean Institute – Malta and the Institute of Earth Systems of the University of Malta, which was held at Gozo’s University Campus.

Our understanding of the term ‘Blue Economy’ denotes economic activities that do not just make indiscriminate use of the sea and its resources, but also protect ecosystem health and ensure long-term prosperity. It is extremely positive that we discussed the Blue Economy in connection with the endeavours of the Gozo Ministry in terms of the Regional Development Strategy, which is being finalised and which will drive Gozo up to 2030. The Green and Blue Economies are, in fact, key factors.

The Blue Economy can present island territories such as Gozo with opportunities to reduce socio-economic disparities and pursue sustainable development through low-carbon and resource-efficient activities. One such activity that is strongly tied to Gozo’s culture and tradition is small-scale artisanal fishing. Although relatively small in size, the local artisanal fishing community brings added value in many ways to Gozo’s tourism offering. Therefore, with a view to ensuring the survival of the sector and boosting its development, in recent years the Gozo Ministry has invested in upgrading the fisheries infrastructure at Marsalforn, our main coastal hub. Apart from providing a safer and more modern working environment, it is now calculated that the port is around 10 per cent more energy-efficient than before, showing how economic and environmental activities can go hand-in-hand.

Further interventions that the Ministry is envisaging, hopefully through EU Funding, are the building of a breakwater in the same fishing port of Marsalforn to provide a coastal defence against storms, and the reorganisation of Mġarr Harbour, which is the main gateway to the island. We intend to promote a more efficient and sustainable management of the increased ferry traffic between the islands.

In addition, the blue economy has growth and job-creating potential in many sectors. Some industries are already well-established, such as maritime transport and tourism – which is the largest employer world-wide and offers coastal states major opportunities for economic development.

 

Gozo alive! – today

Today brings to a close the first ever weekend Gozo Alive! Festival. Friday and Saturday have already attracted crowds to a variety of popular events of music and dance, the visual arts, history, culture, the digital arts, gastronomy and fashion shows. Thousands choose a holiday in Gozo for its environmental landscapes and we entertained them with a festival that delighted everyone!