Of course there are other issues and subjects, however, at this point in time I will mention industry. Maybe I am saying this because until some months ago I was shadowing industry and as such I had the opportunity to learn more about its importance. Today I am shadowing social policy and I do not see the economic benefit that industry is giving to our economy and also to our workers and their families.
The current administration, traditionally, does not believe in industry. Maybe today they try to speak differently, but as we always say: actions speak louder than words. The present government does not work actively to increase the industrial base in Malta. In contrast the Labour Party, when in government, always gave due importance to industry and this is manifested by the huge amount of investment that came to our shores in the 1970s, most of it is still here with us today. Of course the Labour Party was criticised when importation was restricted to protect local products and locally manufactured items, but was never criticised in respect to manufacturing and industry.
Industry employs over 21,000 employees and is one of the main economic activities that contribute to our gross domestic product. For example, tourism is taken for granted as a sector that contributes grossly to the economic development of our country. Likewise industry is perceived in the same way, even though not everyone acknowledges this. Maybe it is like this because the current government snubbed industry and also forecast that companies will close and relocate to another place, this instead of working to help them stay here and upgrade their products. Other countries had the same problems but strived hard to keep them and in some cases, they managed to do so while these companies upgraded their products.
Socially we need companies that are ready to employ people with different abilities. These can employ graduates and post-graduates as well as people with very few qualifications and at times, even with no qualifications at all. Of course, our industrial base has changed and will continue to change but it is of utmost importance that we continue to believe in this sector which will help this country to develop. In the past, we had a number of industries which employed hundreds of workers in the textile industry. Today, we find very few companies in the textile industry. However, in recent years, for a particular reason a number of pharmaceutical companies invested in Malta. This type of industry did not start in recent years, as again, in the seventies we had a number of these companies already up and running. Obviously, today, this industry gives the required value added to employ qualified people in this field. We should work hard not only to attract other investment but also to keep existent ones here.
From my experience, people who are unemployed and wish to seek some kind of employment, very often ask whether they can work in a factory. These people have the ambition to work in industry knowing that they are not qualified but also are aware that they can make it there. And from contacts that I had with a number of companies, the Maltese workers definitely make it. I feel proud when foreign CEOs of companies operating from Malta speak very positively about the Maltese workforce. As a country we should continue with this tradition and work hard to preserve it.
We should also seek to better train our people, both those who are in employment, and also those who are seeking to be employed. Nowadays, before we speak about lifelong learning we should put it practice. This can be our advantage over other competitors since the Maltese workers can easily adapt. The concept of lifelong learning should start from our schools. We need to have a mentality of learning and should continue to do so even when we are working.
Finally, I hope the government changes its attitude towards industry and at least does not hinder its importance. What is being decided or not decided today will affect us within two or three years. Unfortunately industry is facing some difficult times, not only because of what is happening around us, but in this case mainly because of the attitude of the Maltese government. This is the feedback that I receive from stakeholders and they are worried because the government is not listening to them and the latter is hindering investment. I hope that this government does not last for too long, so someone can try to limit the damage to industry and on society too.
Carmelo Abela is Labour Main Spokesperson for Social Policy
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