Free Wi-Fi wireless internet is being made available at all local councils’ offices and public libraries, as well as in the main squares of Malta’s towns, Information Technology Minister Austin Gatt said yesterday.

“An information society is not just a slogan. It is the present and future of Malta,” he added.

Dr Gatt said that today’s technology allows people to access the internet even when they are not in front of their computer at home. He said that the Wi-Fi service being made available is there for everyone to try out and use.

Minister Gatt also referred to the recent announcement of the SmartCity@Malta project which is expected to create 5,600 job opportunities. “SmartCity@Malta will provide the Maltese with a challenge and at the same time an opportunity to excel,” he said.

Around Lm110 million is planned to be invested over an eight-year period by the owners and operators of the hugely successful Internet City in Dubai.