Our culture has not written off the importance of being punctual. I value and give importance to punctuality. I hate turning up late for any meeting or any event of whatever nature. However, notwitstanding my efforts, on very rare occasions I do turn up late.
Last Thursday, I was running rather late for an early event. The unexpected happened. While opening the garage door in haste, the key broke in the keyhole. It was bound to happen, the hair-line crack was quite clear on the key. Luckily, my good neighbour took charge of the situation and in a jiffy, I was on my way.
The breakfast Radio 101 programme hosted by the formidable duo George Galea and Robert Cremona, disk-jockey and journalist respectively, escorted me on my way. Radio 101 is my number one radio station during the early hours of the day. George plays most of the songs I like and Robert gives short news-updates at regular intervals. They give listeners clean, light entertainment. From time-totime, they brief and guide drivers with adequate information to avoid trafficcongested, arterial roads. With their guidance, I avoided the traffic-congested roads and made it in time for a business breakfast in one of the leading hotels in St Julian’s.
Last Thursday, Simon Busuttil, leader of the Opposition was the key note speaker during a business breakfast organised by sister newspaper The Business Weekly. The theme under review was the effervescent, ongoing debate about Malta’s economic performance and future challenges. The question put forward to Dr Busuttil was rather wide-ranging, farreaching and challenging. Can business in Malta continue to be a success story? The issues arising from a question of this sort are multipronged, some of which may be thin-skinned and sensitive. To his credit, Dr Busuttil spoke in some detail about competitiveness and a social market economy.
At times, some may think that these two are in competition. In actual fact, they converge and can support each other if applied with caution and supported with various fiscal measures.
The audience was mostly made up of leading entrepreneurs and people involved in various business sectors. The leaders of the leading constituted business bodies present passed comments, asked pertinent questions, raised current concerns and even suggested new ways of doing business.
The business breakfast question implies that our economy was resilient enough to take most of the severe world-wide financial and economic blows in the past years. There is no doubt that some of the economic blows were well below the belt and have bruised the business community badly. In return, workers’ take home pay was also negatively influenced. However, to the credit of the former administration and the other two social partners, Malta enjoyed very low rates of unemployment when compared to other EU countries.
With that achievement fresh in mind, with a well-greased economy and a well devised plan, Malta can continue to be a success story.
The pivotal function of the business community is crucial in Malta’s economy. If our economy fails, what we enjoy today cannot be sustained for long. This has happened in other countries and unless we keep our economy on track, many crucial services may be at stake.
Dr Busuttil eloquently delved into the subject. He identified various virtues and values that we must hold and made reference to vices which should be avoided.
In my opinion, he encapsulated his wellstructured speech when he stressed that, “we do not just have a market economy. We have a social market economy. The people in Malta should not be at the service of the economy but the other way around. We need to preserve the social model that we have created in this country. The European social model is different in different EU countries. We have created a social model that has worked for us. It is very rare for our country to have huge social turmoil. This is an achievement that we have to continue to nurture.”
He concluded his speech by referring to the PN’s economic policy forum currently working on an innovative business viewpoint which should be ready in time before the next general election.
At the end of another hectic day I was glad I made it on time for the business breakfast. The speech delivered by Dr Busuttil was clear and refreshing.