“Our childcare proposals will provide short-term shock therapy to the female labour market, but there is also need for a longer term approach,” opposition leader Joseph Muscat said during a visit to the SkyParks business centre. 

Dr Muscat was speaking during a tour of Vodafone’s recently inaugurated offices at SkyParks.

Vodafone Malta’s CEO Balesh Sharma explained how the company offers mothers 17 weeks of maternity leave, which is three weeks over and above the legal requirement. 

The opposition leader said that many state entities are not proactive enough in offering incentives and following the best practices of the private sector. 

Dr Muscat committed to offering all industries investing in Malta a level playing field as well as a well regulated market. He said that the PL will implement a system of open government, whereby all targets set will be open to scrutiny. 

Dr Muscat spoke of moving beyond the current system of e-government and expanding into the territory of m-government, thus putting in place an “infrastructure to give citizens the tools for online dialogue.” 

In an earlier meeting at Le Meridien, St Julian’s, Dr Muscat said that a Labour government will allow tertiary level students a broader choice of option in pursuing their studies.

This will be done through a partnership with Universities for International Students Studying Abroad (INTO), an organisation representing leading Universities from the UK, the US and China. 

Dr. Muscat expressed his desire to establish Malta as a hub, attracting investment from foreign universities and centres of excellence. 

“This project will be implemented in conjunction with the University of Malta, MCAST and ITS, as well as any other institutions expressing an interest. INTO is interested in developing campuses in Malta and Gozo. The courses on offer will range from finance, management, medicine and economics,” Dr Muscat said. 

The opposition leader estimated that 3,000 students will be attracted to study in Malta through this project. He also said that the University of Malta’s funding will be increased.