Since 1987, I have been elected to Parliament from the 9th or 10th Electoral Districts, or both. I have been called upon by the Nationalist Party to offer my experience in the European Parliament that decides on most of the legislation that govern our lives in this country. Out of loyalty to my party and to my country, I have accepted to take up the challenge, conscious of the hard work such a position entails.

During my 27 years as Member of Parliament, I had the honour to serve as Parliamentary Secretary, or Minister responsible for transport, communications, infrastructure, capital projects, environment, tourism, culture and foreign affairs. I was responsible for the setting up of Malta International Airport, for the introduction of Malta’s digital platform of telecommunications, for the sewerage masterplan and its realisation, for the waste management strategy for the Maltese Islands, which meant closing down tal-Fulija, Maghtab and Ta’ Kortin refuse dumps, for the Manoel Island and Tigné project, the Cottonera project and the Cruise Liner Passenger Terminal.

I was responsible for the Valletta Rehabilitation Project, the Cottonera Rehabilitation project and the Mdina Rehabilitaion Project, in which over a hundred restoration and rehabilitation projects were carried out.

I saw through a number of embellishment projects: the Sliema/St Julian’s promenade; the St George’s Bay promenade; the ‘perched beach’ in Bugibba; the promenades in Birzebbuga, Marsascala and Marsaxlokk.  As Minister for Tourism, I piloted the introduction of low cost carriers which now carry about 40 per cent of all passengers coming to Malta and for the achievement of new record numbers of tourists visiting our islands. I introduced major cultural events to Malta including Notte Bianca and Isle of MTV.

All these activities brought me in contact with the vast majority of the Maltese and Gozitan people. So I honestly do not consider it a problem contesting the whole of Malta and Gozo as one electoral district.

While I look back with satisfaction at the various achievements that helped transform our society for the better and contributed to the modernisation of our country, my mind is set on the present and the future.

If I am elected to the European Parliament, I will take to Brussels my long political experience and expertise which can offer a very effective service to you and to my country. I promise that I will work with the same energy that characterised my 27 years as a Member of the Maltese Parliament.

What do I stand for? I stand for loyal and honest service to the Maltese and Gozitan people and to my country, furthering, and defending Malta’s interests in the European Union. If you choose to support my candidature I shall focus on six particular areas: Jobs in Malta; Identity, Reputation and Culture; Environment and Sustainable Development; NGOs; and immigration.

I am part of a team: a team of 11 Nationalist Party candidates who are working together to give the best result ever to our party. Your vote will determine not only who will represent Malta in the European Parliament but also who will be the President of the European Commission for the next five years.

I can offer you my loyalty within the Nationalist Party and my faith in the entrepreneurial qualities of the Maltese people who in the 10 years of EU membership have shown that we can achieve the best results. Results that outshine those of countries much bigger than ours. Malta deserves no less and it is unfortunate that the present government is putting at risk this track record as well as our national reputation.

On 24 May, it is our turn to give a strong political message and make a choice for candidates who genuinely want to serve as the voice of the people within the European Parliament, rather than the voice of a person in whose case power has clearly gone to his head. I am not only soliciting your support in my regard – but also to vote for the entire team of Nationalist Party candidates.

Dr Zammit Dimech is a Nationalist Party candidate in the upcoming European Parliamentary elections