This past week has been crucial for the country. The budget for 2010, arguably the most significant budget of this legislature in terms of economic policy, has been presented and is currently being reviewed by all stakeholders, including the general public.

As we steer through the waves of a global economic and financial crisis, the tabled budget is a clear step in the right direction, for a number of reasons.

Firstly and, in my opinion, most importantly, the budget rightly times injecting several pockets of our economy with liquidity. The generous micro-credits and tax credits for the self-employed and small businesses, for example, are a godsend for all those micro-enterprises that wanted to renovate or simply maintain their premises, but could not do so for lack of cash.

Speaking to shop owners in my constituency, it is evident that small businesses will be boosted by this budget. The wheels of our economic system, weathered by the prevailing recession, will unquestionably creak into action as calls for orders for new shelves and upgrades serve to sustain the jobs of beleaguered carpenters and so on.

As the self-employed are given new hope that they will somehow emerge from this economic turmoil, so will the e10 million allowance to be distributed among families to help ease the burden of rising international oil prices.

The e55 – e205 cheque, depending on the size of the family in question, will not only help cover the cost of utility costs in our households, but will most certainly serve to boost consumer confidence in a period marked by uncertainty, not least due to the doom-and-gloom sermons of the Labour Party.

More importantly, however, the Energy Allowance proves that the government is listening to the people by giving all the necessary warnings so that they can prepare for change.

In this year’s budget, the government has paid much more attention to the delicate balance that must be maintained between addressing the country’s structural concerns without reducing the people’s standard of living.

The Energy Allowance, and the aggressive approach that has been taken with regard to protecting and enhancing our environment, are clear examples that this delicate balance is being maintained.

As was predicted, the Labour Party bent over backwards to rubbish the budget for 2010, too hastily, I might add, considering the general seal of approval of the trade unions and employers’ associations.

Indeed, if the PL had actually read through the reams of investment initiatives that have been proposed for the coming year rather than continue its election campaign, it would have realised that this is merely the second year of the legislature.

That way, it might have agreed to a slogan that runs along the lines of “too much, too early”.

A lawyer by profession, Franco Debono is a Nationalist Member of Parliament