The government’s immigration-based system of economy is not sustainable, and can only last for the next five to ten years, opposition leader Adrian Delia told those gathered at the EY Malta Attractiveness Event 2018 on Wednesday.

Figures issued by the National Statistics Office (NSO), Delia said, had indicated a net population increase through migration of 10,000 people in 2015 and 2016, whilst a 15,000 net increase was registered in 2017.  Delia said that so far, it was looking like the figure for 2018 would be even higher than that.

The figures, he said, show an economic policy which the government itself refuses to speak about or admit.

There are certain sectors that clearly benefit by this increase, but others clearly suffer, Delia said.  The PN leader added that if the government has chosen such a policy, they should at least have a clear and transparent plan for the island. What is the island’s carrying capacity?  How many does the government want to import?  What infrastructure is needed?  What integration processes and measures are needed?  These are all matters which Delia questioned.

Malta is already the most densely populated state by far in the EU, Delia said, so this is type of economy is not sustainable.  We do need immigration, Delia clarified, but it was a question of numbers and of type.  There are high-skilled immigrants who are needed for new industries such as gaming, blockchain, and aviation and through whom local workers can experience a skills transfer; and then there are economic migrants who are ready to accept low wage short term jobs and end up reducing our standards, Delia explained.

Public sector reliance was another matter that Delia took aim at, saying how the government has increased their workforce from 41,500 to 46,900.  This was an increase of 5,400 people at a significant cost to taxpayers and he said that politicians like him see this as tantamount to political lobbying, even when we see an increase just before election time, Delia said.

The opposition leader also called for quality public expenditure, saying that there was the need to invest more to grow the country’s economic potential.  It was also a question of quality, Delia said, and there was good investment needed in a transport shift, more economic niches, more renewable energy, and a better education system.

We are duty bound to improve and protect our reputation and we cannot lose it to shady governance”, Delia said, taking aim at recent corruption allegations against the governments.  He said that the country needed to stamp out corruption, as this affects both the business sector and also the country’s reputation as a whole.

Delia affirmed however that the PN would support the government in its fight against the imposition of tax harmonisation across the EU, saying that not even America’s states were tax harmonised and that therefore the EU shouldn’t be either.

Speaking about the opposition’s vision, Delia said that it was to build on their strong legacy in government to achieve a quality economy that all can invest in; companies, employees and the immigrants we do need.

Malta should be a world class business centre, Delia said, and the country needs to use land and energy responsibly and spearhead communicative technology to make up for the island’s diminutive size.

However, Delia said, what was most important to take into consideration is that people don’t only want to work in the country; they want to live in Malta and become one with the Maltese people.  Having a proper and clear strategy of integration would make sure that nobody is left behind, and that truly everyone can be a part of Malta’s transformative age, Delia concluded.