This week the government will present a motion in parliament on SmartCity, a project that will create another 5,600 jobs – another sign that investment is on the increase, said Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi yesterday in Xaghra, Gozo.
Dr Gonzi was participating in an activity entitled Commitment in Your Locality (B’impenn fil-lokal tieghek).
“Each step we take towards implementing the euro changeover will continue increasing our credibility and as a result attract more investment,” he said.
The government recently launched a series of initiatives to create more jobs for youths, women, people with a disability and workers in Gozo, said Dr Gonzi.
“Our finances are stable and as a result the government expanded the incentives for all Gozitans to help improve the island’s economy and create more employment,” he added.
He pointed out that government allocated one million lira in incentives to create more jobs, cultural activities and as a result improve tourism in Gozo.
Dr Gonzi spoke about his recent visit to the factory Pamergan in Gozo, which started off with five employees and now has over 100. “Through increased investment, there are more jobs – in fact unemployment decreased by 500 since last year,” he said.
The government’s policy is reaping results which are enjoyed by Maltese and Gozitan families, he added.
“Education for youths and children improved, residents have better roads and initiatives planned for Gozo are strengthening its economy,” said the Prime Minister.
He added that the new initiatives for Gozo were possible only because the country’s economy is growing and has good financial foundations.
“Gozo is at the centre of the Nationalist Party’s policy – unlike the Labour Party,” said Dr Gonzi.
He pointed out that when Opposition Leader Alfred Sant was prime minister, he removed the post of Gozo minister and increased the Gozo ferry fares when the old boats were still running.
However, said Dr Gonzi, at present the capital investment in Gozo is 10 times higher than when Dr Sant was in government.
Dr Gonzi also said the court of appeal recently found the Labour Party guilty of defamation because it presented false facts to deliberately deceive the public.
In its judgement, he said, the court said the Labour Party deliberately deceived and tried to give a wrong impression when they claimed that government ministers were wasting money.
He pointed out that the Labour Party did the same before the 1996 election.
“The Labour Party promised to remove VAT but did not say that it will introduce a tax higher than VAT. They promised to reduce the cost of living but the inflation rate went up to a record four per cent,” said Dr Gonzi.
Furthermore, he said, the Labour Party promised to reduce the deficit but within two years added up a record deficit of Lm300 million.
Last Friday the court found the Labour Party guilty of another wrongdoing, he said.
“The Labour Party wanted to play around with the results of the Munxar local council election,” said Dr Gonzi. “Labour supporters who do not live in Munxar began to change their address to vote in the Munxar local council elections.” Their deceit came out in open counrt, Dr Gonzi said.
He added that he could not understand how Dr Sant said during the TVM programme Xarabank that the government only attracted one million lira in foreign investment when it got Lm500 million.
Dr Sant also said that Malta benefited from Lm1.5 million from the EU when it is common knowledge that in the first two years of membership Malta made use of Lm100 million, said Dr Gonzi. Furthermore, he said, as from this year Malta will benefit from another EURO 855 million.
Dr Gonzi reminded the audience that Dr Sant was trying to scare people when he said Malta should not form part of the EU and had lied in saying that BOV and HSBC will have problems.
In fact, said Dr Gonzi, HSBC recently opened an international call centre that employs 350 people and is expected to keep on growing in the near future.