Who are you, what is your background and your expertise? What do you hope to contribute to Malta?

I am chief executive of Junior Achievement (Young Enterprise) Malta. I read for B.Com (Hons) at the University of Malta and graduated in 2001. I was educated at Stella Maris School, Balzan and St Aloysius’ College.

During the past year I was a member of the National Youth Council (KNZ). At university I was active in AIESEC for the first two years and then a KSU member where I was president in my last year. At Sixth Form I took part in the Young Enterprise programme and President’s Award scheme and was president of the Sixth Form Council in the second year.

After leaving university I worked as a Sales Executive for one of Malta’s largest printing presses for four years.

I have always believed that politics is the strongest tool one can use to improve the lives of people. I believe in the energy and enthusiasm that young people have and, as a result I am sure that my ideas, enthusiasm and willingness to work could contribute to the leadership of this country. We youngsters have a fresh outlook for the running of this county and, more than that, we have a vested interest in it. Any government has to think long term and to ensure that the country has a long-term vision of success. At the end of the day it is we, the young people, who will benefit from the results of this vision

Why do you think the PN should be re-elected?

I believe that this should happen for two reasons, first for achievements in the past and more importantly for its future vision. Any candidate, irrespective of whether he comes from a traditional Nationalist background or not, should spend some time thinking under which colour he’d like to see his name on the ballot sheet. I did at least. I’ve experienced both parties in government and I see a very different way of governing. I won’t go into the way Labour ruled the country pre 1987, but we all remember the development this country went through between 1987 until 1996. In 1987 Malta was practically verging on being a communist state, in 1996 we were an aspiring EU member, between 1996 and 1998 we lost all that. Freezing EU membership, replacing VAT with CET and other wrong decisions proved detrimental for the country. However, we managed to get back on track in 1998.

The past three years have seen a PN government working tirelessly and gaining maximum benefits from EU membership. We managed to fulfil the Maastricht criteria and adopted the euro last January. We have attracted foreign investment like never before; in fact we have the lowest rate of unemployment ever and all the rest we know

However, more than that, it’s the PN’s vision in contrast to MLP’s lack of it. We are speaking about Vision 2015, which sees Malta as a centre of excellence in six major fields including IT, Financial Services and Education. We are saying that we want to attract the best possible jobs to Malta; we are saying that we want to have a country that strives to achieve excellence. These are not only words because in fact we are already achieving it. The amount of foreign investment coming to Malta is proof of this. In financial services, experts say that we are already becoming a centre of excellence and could reach this aim way before 2015. In all other sectors we are registering improvement after improvement. On the other hand Labour don’t say much about their vision except reducing the surcharge and the return of public holidays, a new beginning but I doubt if anyone understands what this new beginning is. But do we really need a new beginning?

What does the PN offer young people?

PN is offering its vision and the credibility that goes with it. When we developed Vision 2015 we were saying that we want to offer the best opportunities and the best possible lifestyle to young people. We identified the areas in which we believe Maltese people could excel. Hence we looked at Tourism, IT and Financial Services, but we also realised that each and every young person should have the opportunity to excel in the field of his/her choice and as a result decided to strive to offer the best possible educational facilities possible. Apart from that we also understand that the most important part of anyone’s life is his/her health and so decided to invest heavily in this sector, and we shall keep on investing even further. PN offers youths the opportunity to develop to the best of their ability, and all this in co-existence with the peace of mind that goes with it.

Why should people voting PN vote for young untried candidates instead of the old and tried faces?

Well I wouldn’t exactly put it that way. I think that what we need is a mix of both and that is what the PN is offering. Any team works better if it has a mix of people. Experienced politicians can guide as regards decision-making while young bloods have the energy and the motivation to prove themselves and to think differently. Young candidates might be untried in Parliament but we also have our own track record. I for one have been tried in other positions such as KSU president, KNZ member, President of Sixth Form Council apart from others, and also professionally. Our track record speaks for itself.