Reflection time
Another election is on the doorstep, campaigning by the parties is underway and it is time for the electorate to reflect, decide and vote!
The past five years have been characterised by several challenges and hard work which the Prime Minister, Dr Gonzi, and his team handled with great responsibility, building on the basis of work, education and the environment. Allow me to take you on a quick overview of these achievements for the Nationalist government under the leadership of Lawrence Gonzi.
Decisive factor 1: More
and better jobs
The adoption of the euro meant that Malta continued to consolidate its position in the international market, more stability and indeed more investment and jobs to Malta. It is not by coincidence that jobs are being created; it is because Malta has clearly defined its targets and met them. Competition is rife, especially from new economical giants such as India, China and the Eastern Bloc, who are all mass producing at low cost.
Producing low-cost is not an option for us since it will result in a poorer quality of life. However let’s not forget Labour’s proposals – shoe repairs, salt-pans and the urge to subsidise the textiles industry which has for the past years sought low-cost countries. In addition let’s not forget George Vella’s stance “allahares joghlew il-pagi”. Thus Labour’s vision for the creation of work is to freeze wages so as to get us on par with Balkan countries, and revitalise traditional jobs. At times I start to wonder whether Labour has realised that we are now operating in a service-based industry.
On the other hand a Nationalist government, during the past five years, attracted Malta’s single and largest foreign investment – SmartCity (whom Labour tried to poke fun at and tried to fend off), Lufthansa Technik, various pharmaceuticals such as Actavis, and the CMA-CGM investment at the Malta Freeport. Other private companies attracted overseas interest and now have either foreigners as their strategic investors or else are wholly owned by foreigners.
This is not all, I invite you to log on to the MFSA website and notice how many foreign banks are now operating in Malta. All these have shown trust in the Maltese government and in the Maltese workforce. This has all been possible thanks to successive Nationalist governments who realised Malta’s potential and laid down the necessary foundations in order to attract such investment. According to the Labour Party such foundations have been a waste of money. Today the facts speak for themselves.
Decisive factor 2: Education – for all children to succeed
Successive Nationalist governments always believed and invested in education. The past five years are a witness to all this. A few days ago the shocking bit came out. Labour wants to introduce a repeater class. This is typical of Labour. They dream of something and say it, no matter what that means, costs, and the effects it will have on our children. Apart from having children repeating a year, I would like to ask, would children’s allowance continue to be given until children reach the age of 17? What about stipends, will children still be guaranteed the stipend or will this be an excuse that the cost is too high and thus cut off stipends? Likewise I see this as hampering our competitiveness since employers wouldn’t find readily available workers and a year can make all the difference in a cutthroat competitive international market.
The Nationalist Party will continue to build on what it has achieved. A Nationalist Party is determined to see more children studying at post-secondary and post-graduate level and will not waste our children’s precious time. So on one hand Labour is trying to rattle the education foundations and the PN is investing in order to increase the number of post-graduates. The PN embarked on a huge investment in order to modernise the ITS centre in Gozo with the help of EU funds. Likewise the PN resurrected the MCAST, which offers the possibility for one to start from a foundation course that is the basics. Many who started a foundation course are today among the best of the best. All this is proof that “for all children to succeed” is not simply a slogan.
Decisive factor 3:
The Environment
The past five years have seen the government working hard in order to improve our environment. The rehabilitation of Maghtab thanks to EU funds which will be turned into a park, gas being extracted to supply energy to some homes. Turning an eyesore into a green area will be the cherry on the cake. For Labour it would have remained open with possibly the introduction of helicopter day-trips!
The volume of restoration works has been one of the biggest in many years. This was important if we wanted to preserve our heritage and thus continue to serve as a showcase for tourists.
The Sant’Antnin waste recycling plant, which Labour and other parties campaigned so hard against, will prove to be one of the next vital steps forward. Very soon separated waste will start to be collected at people’s doorstep. The biggest obstacle might have been changing people’s attitude. However several ongoing campaigns are rendering results and while visiting certain families I could notice that people are more aware of their environment and what a crucial role this will have on our vote on 8 March.
The crucial vote – it’s yours
I acknowledge that we need to do more since this is an endless mission far from accomplished. In life he who doesn’t aspire for the better and innovative dies a natural death.
It wouldn’t be wise to sit back and watch what happens because then it could be too late! A different party might be in government with your full blessing.
I urge everyone out there to continue reflecting and analyse in order to come up with a firm decision. While trying to give the impression that Labour is new, there is nothing new, especially their leader of 16 years and his advisers in the kitchen cabinet. On 8 March a vote for the PN means following the same successful track for us, our loved ones and above all our beloved country.
David Agius is a
PN candidate for the 7th and 11th districts