A ministry statement said that while the government, in close collaboration with the key social and economic stakeholders, is committed to put high on its agenda the national issue of competitiveness, it has to be understood that this is a priority to be shouldered by all and not by a selected few.

Industry, businesses, small and medium enterprises, the public and private sector are all key elements in ensuring that these goals can be met, thus leading to successful economic growth and wealth. Government is setting the parameters: a reduction in our national deficit complemented by an exercise in accountability and excessive expenditure are paramount to the achievement of a competitive internal market, the statement said.

Whereas government has the main responsibility to work out these set targets, it is indeed up to the nation to adopt and implement them, the statement added. Competitiveness hits our social strata at all its levels, thus making everyone understand that an individual commitment is both for the well-being of the respective entrepreneur and the nation as a whole.

The statement said that Malta can no longer afford a situation where at the same time that the government is doing its utmost to tackle environment issues, there is an acceptance of the culture of domestic dumping in our countryside.

Neither can it afford bureaucracy to rule in many national institutions where customers seek to receive a service. Government has long earmarked this, but there also needs to be an internal change in culture from the directors, to heads of departments and employees respectively, the statement said.

Neither can Malta afford to linger behind the times and still accept obsolete work practices merely for the sake of tradition. If change is needed, then it has to happen, the ministry added.

It is time that all the Maltese realise the need for standards as an asset to our provision of services and products, that the consumer pays money to receive optimal quality and that in overcharging and providing poor standards, it is only the country which is receiving a bad reputation, thus leaving it out of the competitiveness sphere when compared to other nations.

“Above all it is high time to realise that the government is there to put forward the political agenda and implement it across the board. But it is the nation as a whole, within all individual responsibilities, that should realise that times have changed and the more we deliver, the more we produce, the more we provide a high quality service at a reasonable price, the more this Malta can be competitive and succeed in its goals of achieving a dynamic economy leading in turn to acceptable economic growth.”

The social and economic partners within the MCESD are doing a sterling job through their input in such discussions. This is a prime example of where the issue of “competitiveness” is adopted by all, the statement concluded.