Moreover, the number of people employed in the manufacturing industry increased by 300 in the second quarter this year, compared to the first three months.
Addressing party followers in Paola, Dr Gonzi said the government was committed to improving the country’s competitiveness and, in turn, also improving the standard of living of its citizens.
Using new work practices meant introducing new ways of doing things in Malta. The Prime Minister said the government was doing its best to fully exploit the country’s strategic geographic position in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea and also as a European Union member state.
Dr Gonzi also spoke about the government’s plans to give the country’s small and medium-sized enterprises the necessary assistance to improve their business and bring it up-to-date.
He mentioned the scheme through which Lm1.2 million is available to SMEs to look for their niche markets and to sell their products more successfully in order to be increasingly competitive and thus create more employment opportunities.
Dr Gonzi also said that in order to increase the country’s competitiveness, Malta needed to reduce its red tape and excess bureaucracy. This would lead to more investment in other niche markets that would give the investors a healthy return on their investment.
Dr Gonzi said the government, through the Malta Enterprise, had attracted a certain amount of investment, especially in the pharmaceutical and information technology sectors. At the same time, government was investing more in the Malta College for Arts, Science and Technology in order to produce more skilled workers.
The Prime Minister also spoke about the Nationalist Party which next year
celebrates the 125th anniversary of its foundation. He said the number of party members was on the increase – nearing the 33,000 mark. Of the new members, 41 per cent are people below the age of 30. And as part of its renewal, more people are joining the party to contribute their ideas and show their commitment to Malta’s politics.
In his speech, Dr Gonzi also praised former leaders of the Nationalist Party, including Fortunato Mizzi, Sir Ugo Mifsud, Nerik Mizzi, George Borg Olivier and Eddie Fenech Adami.