He added that the country’s achievements in this sector were the result of the government’s ICT strategy that is also proving effective in attracting major technology partners.

“We have decided to focus on attracting major technology partners who agree to use our first-class human resources to work from here. We are focusing on firms who work in developing high-end and customised software, to persuade them that technology makes this place a good spot to work from, as good as any other, while the human resources, fiscal and structural environment make it even better than most,” he said.

Dr Gatt was speaking during a seminar organised by Veritas Software, which is one of the 10 largest software companies in the world and a leading provider of software to enable utility computing. With 2003 revenues of $1.75 billion, the company has 6,900 employees in the 40 countries in which it operates. Veritas delivers products for data protection, storage and server management.

Malta is looking for people who want to provide education and training, knowledge management support, consultancy and translation and technical writing. Malta has also had success in persuading large firms that their back office and support operations can use Malta as their regional and world-wide spring-board, he said.

“In the last eight months, Malta Enterprise has approved five new major ICT projects in Malta. In the coming months we can expect these projects to employ Maltese people who will be joining the 306 now working in hardware firms, the 588 working in software firms and the 81 working in other ICT businesses,” he said.

Dr Gatt said one of these new investments is relocating its business from Ireland. “There is some significance in this move, since Ireland is usually perceived as the model we all want to imitate. We are also pleased to have recently clinched new investments from Germany. It feels good to move from speaking about optimistic prospects to speaking about concrete achievements,” he said proudly.

Dr Gatt pointed out that attracting investment is one thing but delivering on what you promise is another matter altogether. “Investors need reassurance that they will find the human resources and the infrastructure they need to grow at the pace their business plans dictate. We are aiming to support our education system so that by 2006 it will equipped to prepare 500 new IT specialists for the IT industry every year,” he said.

Also by 2006, all knowledge workers within the government will be ICT literate, all Government services will be available on line, 90 per cent of Maltese businesses will be on-line and Malta will have an ICT Centre of Excellence serving as its central magnet to attract even more investment in this sector, he said.

“These targets will place us well on the road to our most ambitious target for 2010: to be the first among the best. Initiative, creativity and success will not only come as a result of foreign investment. Home-grown businesses have to find the space to act as the reliable backbone of an unpredictable and fast-changing business,” he said.

This year alone three Maltese start-up companies had their projects cleared by Malta Enterprise. This does not include the ICT companies working in the business incubation centre in Kordin, providing high-end web-based solutions, data security services, mobile phone, wireless and SMS solutions. By 2006, Malta aims to have a programme that assists up to 10 new start-ups every year.

That newly-released energy must be directed in the right way, said Dr Gatt. The local industry must be encouraged and supported to organise itself into specialised niche areas aimed at proving a comprehensive suite of services to international partners. “In this way, we can synergise our efforts to promote local entrpreneurship and attract foreign direct investment. Malta is on the move in ICT and more will be happening in the next few years. Our aim is clear in ICT: Malta is the place to be,” he said.