From Mr M. Fava

What is ‘Innovation’? Innovation is the successful exploitation of entirely new ideas or the extension of existing ones. It will surely create new business and markets and also improves existing products and services. Sometimes it fails but this depends on the way it is handled. Innovation is very important, now more than ever. It drives productivity and helps business to improve. This can be seen as innovator countries have sustained higher performance and growth compared to non-innovators. It is needed now more than ever especially here in Malta.

The Government in Malta is taking this lightly. It is afraid of taking the risks. Instead it is taking measures, which are affecting the economy badly. Results speak for themselves. We have no source of competitiveness and we are not taking the advantages innovation brings. The government is not offering opportunities to individual businesses. Our economy as a whole is not showing any prospects for the future. It is at a standstill. The importance of knowledge and creativity are becoming increasingly important for the economy worldwide but it seems that the government is not committed to move forward.

The government should take the initiative and take full advantage of these competitive strengths. We must introduce new products to our production lines. Products of higher technology. We must improve our services. There is no need for services to replace the manufacturing sector. This is what is happening. This is causing unemployment because those who worked in production lines for a number of years are not trained to do other works related to service. We must take action now before it is too late. We are far behind already. The government is not creating a better infrastructure for business. It is not offering support for investment. It is doing very little to offer a better education and training. It is not seeking closer partnerships with key economic partners. Actions should speak louder than words.

Investment in education, science and technology is imperative. This leads to increase in manufacturing because we’ll be able to produce high-tech products. Science and technology are providing new opportunities for businesses to compete. We are not doing enough to encourage manufacturers to transfer their production to Malta. It’s the other way round. We need to raise our standards. Investing heavily in education can do this.

We cannot compete in world markets on the basis of cheap labour. Investment in science and technology means that in the future we would be able to produce more sophisticated products. Products, which are being manufactured in Japan and Germany. It’s never too late to start.

But innovation is not only science and technology. That is a mistake. Innovation is about anything that enables any kind of business to improve, to offer better services. Everyone should participate. The government should lead; should take the initiative. At the moment there is no strategy. Partnership is essential. Partnership between businesses to share their strengths and practice. There must be some kind of partnership between businesses and researchers, inventors, university etc… to provide skilled workers that new businesses need. The government has to work hand in hand with private companies, unions and other social partners to create the best economic reform for innovation to take place.

At the moment everything seems gloomy unfortunately. The government is not improving conditions for manufacturers to invest in Malta, thus no increase in employment. Technological change is moving so fast that we cannot afford not acting now. We are falling behind. We are not keeping ourselves up-to-date. We are not monitoring the economic situation and the changes, which are happening. This lack of interest is resulting in workers losing their jobs because we are no longer competitive. This is what causes uncompetitiveness and not globalisation.

The conclusion is quite simple… with this government we are already unable to compete now, let alone in two or three years time. We are not being sensitive to the needs of industry. We are not producing skilled workers for today’s needs. The government is taking no action. Only by working together I believe we can make a change and take full advantage of the advantages of innovation. T.E.A.M. is the magic Word. Together Everyone in Achieving More. Unfortunately, I have my doubts how this can be possible because the signs show that the government is in wonderland.

Mario Fava

Swieqi Councillor