The changeover from the lira to the euro will translate into better job opportunities with better salaries, and if Malta passes the test to join the eurozone, every citizen will bene-fit, said Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi.
Speaking at Gzira PN club yesterday morning, Dr Gonzi insisted on the connection between the benefits to the country, once it adopts the euro, and the benefits to individual citizens.
The Prime Minister used Lufthansa Technik as an example of foreigners investing in Malta.
He said the country is not only being recognised as one that is economically stable and part of the European family, but also as a country that offers an array of skilled
workers.
He made reference to the some 700 students from the Malta College for Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST) who have just graduated and said he hoped that many more young people and adults understand the importance of
formal education.
Returning to the subject of euro adoption, Dr Gonzi said that as a result of the economic stability the country has managed to reach, more funds are being made available for projects that the country might have not have been able to embark on previously.
A number of roads, some of which have not been touched for many years, are now being resurfaced and this is all the result of the fact that the country is now economically stable, he said.
Euro adoption and the local realities we live with go hand in hand, he said, because economic growth will be turned into projects to improve the surroundings in which we live, depending on the various needs of citizens.
“The fact that the deficit and debt levels have decreased, with the deficit now having reached an acceptable level by EU standards, means that the country can now invest Lm300 million in the education sector,” said Dr Gonzi, adding that this amount of money was the deficit generated by the Labour Party during its 22-month term in government.
He said that during this term, various credit rating agencies had certified that the Labour Party’s policies had brought about disaster in less than two years.
The party led by Dr Sant froze Malta’s application to join the EU as soon as it was elected, said Dr Gonzi, pulled the country out of the Partnership for Peace and replaced the VAT system by another one that damaged the business sector.
Dr Gonzi said that parliament will start discussing the SmartCity project tomorrow and he said he was almost sure that the opposition’s first vote in parliament will be against the project, even though it will result in more employment opportunities.
Dr Gonzi referred to the results of surveys conducted by the Federation of Industries and the Malta Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises, both of which show a strong sense of optimism regarding the growth of the economy.
The surveys show that most business owners experienced a good year last year and are looking forward to another good year, said the Prime Minister.
The PN in government plans to continue implementing its policies wisely for more economic growth, he said, before encouraging citizens to participate in Saturday’s local council elections by voting for those who can make the best contribution to their locality.
Health, the Elderly and Community Care Minister Louis Deguara, as well as Parliamentary Secretary in the Finance Ministry Tonio Fenech, also participated in yesterday’s meeting in Gzira.
Dr Deguara stressed the fact that while Mater Dei Hospital will be a good tool for the government to modernise the entire functioning of the health system, the new hospital will not resolve all the problems.
“One of our main challenges is the ageing population, which is a confirmation that we have an excellent health system. People are living longer, medicine is evolving at a very fast pace and we want to help our elderly to continue living in the community, so Mater Dei will not resolve all these problems,” said Dr Deguara.
He said it is important to plan ahead, something the government is doing, even by the very fact that the new hospital stands on a huge site with the potential for future expansion.
He said another example that shows that the Nationalist Party in government plans ahead is the Gzira health centre, which it wants to relocate to larger premises. Built by a Labour government, this was never intended as a health centre, he said.
Dr Deguara said 9,000 people have already toured the new hospital, and have seen that it is not simply a different and modern building, but that it will also bring about a renewal in the whole health system.
He said Labour Party representatives have been invited to tour the new hospital on a number of occasions, but so far they have not accepted the invitations.
“This new hospital is for citizens and not for the glory of the Nationalist Party,” said Dr Deguara. “We know what people want,” he added, before announcing that the government has just voted Lm300,000 for a new medicine for breaHe said the focus needs to be on preventing certain diseases, many of which are nowadays associated with the type of life we live.
Mr Fenech focused on the government’s fiscal policies and the path towards euro adoption which, he said, has resulted in a much higher economic growth than projected in a number of countries forming part of the eurozone.
Among the positive points of the euro, he pointed out the European Central Bank’s mission to control the cost of living in eurozone countries.
Mr Fenech said that euro adoption will also make Malta a more attractive destination for tourists, since they will not need to worry about changing currency, credit card fees or having to budget their holiday too much, and could be persuaded into spending more money.
He did, however, caution that foreigners will also be in a better position to compare prices in various eurozone countries, so it is important for us to remain competitive by keeping a hold on our prices.