Investment, Industry and Information Technology Minister Austin Gatt expressed his satisfaction over the comments made on Friday by Tecom Investments executive chairman Ahmad bin Byat.

In those comments Mr bin Byat spoke of the “common vision” shared by the government of Malta and Tecom for the societies and economies of Dubai and Malta, and “the drive to exploit the opportunities that change brings along rather than succumb to it”.

These indeed have been the values that have inspired the government’s programme over the past six years and the conclusion of the Smart City deal is in a way a closure of the chapter in our history during which the government put in place all the building blocks necessary for a successful future for Malta as an ICT capital of the Mediterranean, Dr Gatt said.

A new chapter is now opening both for Tecom, that is here in Malta kick-starting the global SmartCity brand, and for Malta. As Mr bin Byat correctly remarked, SmartCity Malta will “also contribute effectively to the country’s ambitions of becoming a global ICT leader”.

Minister Gatt said that he is especially looking forward to the imminent realisation of the SmartCity project: a new city in place of the derelict industrial estate of Ricasoli. Tecom’s announcement of the “astounding” – as they called it – interest in SmartCity, and the fact that they already have lined up organisations wanting to set up house here in Malta, are both exciting and encouraging.

Minister Gatt said that “we have managed to synergise the strengths of Malta and the strengths of Dubai Internet and Media Cities. Malta’s well-ingrained ICT culture, integrated in the European single market and soon the European single currency, but retaining the character of high-quality Mediterranean lifestyle combined with Tecom’s reputation as fast-growing excellence in the ICT field, have provided the global ICT community with an irresistibly attractive product.

“It is clear that we have brought within the grasp of the young people of Malta a world of opportunities. Right here in Malta highly paid, highly secure, highly-motivating careers will be made that will meet the expectations of the wide-eyed ambitions of any of our young, Dr Gatt said.