The Government is developing Malta into a European and Mediterranean centre of excellence to offer the best possible services to its citizens as well as to investors who can create opportunities in this country, said Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi yesterday.

Speaking at the Nationalist Party club in Santa Lucija yesterday, Dr Gonzi said that a record Lm500 million flowed into the country in direct foreign investment last year. He also said that some 6,000 jobs were created and that business had increased in terms of imports and exports of Maltese products.

Dr Gonzi also said the government was determined to turn Malta into an IT and Communications hub took on extra impetus now that Smartcity is to set up shop here.

He also said that in terms of financial services, Malta had excellent legislation and that the sector was growing. He said that the government was in discussion with the European Union to find ways of allowing the sector to grow further and increase employment.

The government is investing in every level of the educational system, from kindergarten all the way up to university. He also said that last year, scholarships were being awarded to Maltese students to continue their studies in universities abroad. Meanwhile, the university of Malta was also attracting students from abroad who want to study here.

The government, he said, was also addressing problems related to tourism and said that the country needed to up the standard of its overall product. He said that some measures to increase tourism included the Cruise Liner Terminal and the Cottonera Waterfront project. This he said, was already reaping dividends as the number of cruise liners that entered Malta last year had increased.

Addressing the issue of health, Dr Gonzi said that Malta could compete and said that the new Mater Dei hospital would not only cater for Maltese citizens, but also for patients from abroad that might seek treatment here.

Dr Gonzi said that all these measures showed that the PN government had faith in the people of Malta and that it had a forward looking plan.

The Prime Minister said that in comparison, the Malta Labour Party was only interested in discouraging people, mentioning a recent appeal case ruling which the MLP was found guilty of libel against the government and the cabinet.

He said that the MLP tried to garner votes by spreading lies about the government and by trying to sow the seeds of doubt in people’s minds.

The Prime Minister continued by saying that the MLP tried to twist facts and gave another display of this by sending an anonymously penned report to various embassies in an effort to shed doubt on the veracity of National Statistics Office figures. He said that instead of basing issues on facts, the MLP made politics without foundation. In view of the government’s plan, he asked what policies the MLP had drafted on issues such as the environment, education, pensions, health and roads.

Dr Gonzi said that the government’s plans were always addressed towards the needs of the people. He said that a typical example was the decision to install lifts in government-owned flats. “The PN government’s policies address the needs of each and every individual,” he said.