The first phase of the SmartCity project is expected to be ready by the beginning of 2010, Infrastructure, Transport and Communications Minister Austin Gatt said yesterday.
Dr Gatt was speaking during a discussion at the Granaries in Floriana, as part of the PN's activities to mark the 44th anniversary since Malta gained independence from Britain.
The developers of the SmartCity project – expected to generate about 5,600 jobs in ICT and related services – are awaiting approval of permits from the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (Mepa).
Dr Gatt said the project's 1,700-page environmental impact assessment has received no objections so far and is expected to be presented to the Mepa board next month.
Replying to a question from journalists on the surcharge on utility bills, Dr Gatt said that should the international price of oil go down below $85 a barrel, then the government would be able to reduce the rate of the surcharge, which currently stands at a high 95 per cent.
The discussion could not but focus heavily on the privatisation of Malta Shipyards, but Finance Minister Tonio Fenech was adamant in refusing to give details of the expressions of interest received from prospective bidders.
Mr Fenech emphasised that the privatisation process is extremely delicate and any extra details made public could discourage interested bidders.
Even though a ministry spokesman said on Monday that details of the expressions of interest would be issued on Tuesday, Mr Fenech denied this, saying a statement would be issued in due course.
He did say that the expressions of interest received were "positive", but added that it would not be responsible to give any further details for the time being, since the government's main interest was for the privatisation process to be successful.
The minister said close to 1,000 'yard workers had taken up the voluntary and early retirement schemes, again warning that if the number of remaining employees was excessive, this could hinder the privatisation process.
Party secretary general Paul Borg Olivier noted that the number of new jobs in the private sector had increased by about 10,800 since 2004, when Malta joined the EU.
The number of gainfully occupied increased by more than 6,500 during the same period, he said, adding that EU membership has clearly brought the country forward in just four years.
Nationalist MEPs Simon Busuttil and David Casa, on the other hand, spoke about a resolution that was being proposed in the European Parliament that focused particularly on illegal employment.
"We are proposing very harsh penalties for those who employ people in an illegal manner. And here, there is a particular focus on irregular migrants," said Dr Busuttil.
Mr Casa said it was a shame that certain employers were exploiting migrants by offering them illegal employment under poor conditions.
Closing the discussion, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi insisted on the need not to fear change.
Replying to a question by one of the journalists, Dr Gonzi denied that he had never made reference to the global financial turmoil before the general election in March.
"I mentioned the problems being faced worldwide in every speech I made during the election campaign," he said.
He said that during the past six months, the government has been working very hard, particularly on its various reforms, and the privatisation process of Malta Shipyards.
"I cannot fully understand what 'yard workers are going through, but I know that this is not an easy time for them. But I am happy to see that most of the workers that have applied for the voluntary and early retirement schemes, have already found alternative employment," Dr Gonzi said.