As the country fast approaches the important day or reckoning on 3rd June it is important that voters reflect on the issues that will affect their day-to-day lives in the coming five years. They will need to decide whether they want to continue to live in a stable country where the economy continues to perform well, and the electoral promises made are converted into reality, as has been done by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and his team in the last legislature, or alternatively choose an unreliable and loose coalition conducive to instability and uncertain economic growth.
Practically no one denies the success that the country has achieved in the last four years in the social as well as the economic fields. Malta’s economy has been amongst the best performing in the EU creating thousands of jobs in all sectors and leaving more money in the pockets of everyone.
The social sector was also taken care of with the minimum wage being raised after decades of stagnation. The educational sector was similarly given a boost with more investment in state and private schools and better career choices for our young students. The Labour government has also been a champion of civil rights and is today considered as an example of how liberal progressive politics for minorities should be handled.
But there is a whole list of unfinished business that a future Labour government has promised to address with urgency. It is an undeniable reality that the country’s infrastructure needs massive investment to cope with the increasing economic activity and the stress this puts on our road network. €700 million of investments in our roads system over the next seven years can be guaranteed if the electorate chooses continuity over an uncertain political prospect that could become a reality with a coalition government.
The Maltese and Gozitan electorate have come to know that what Labour promises, Labour delivers. There is always a risk that economic growth can be taken for granted. But one only needs to look at the high unemployment rates in neighbouring countries like Italy and France to realise how ultimately what matters to promote social mobility and juustice are good jobs that make people free to pursue their career dreams.
This is why it is important to have continuity in economic planning in order not to stall economic growth with constantly changing economic direction. Our services industries including tourism are going though one of their best phases in recent decades. Our young people can now choose where they want to work or continue their studies. Small enterprises are assisted with easier access to financing and the opening of new markets locally and abroad.
The alternative is a negative mind set of a coalition that its sole intent is to get back in power after they were so vigorously rejected by the electorate in 2013. Their economic strategies lack substance because they come from the same old band on politicians who ruled the roost for so long and with disappointing results.
Like every political administration, the Labour government has committed a number of mistakes mainly as a result of eagerness to get things done and overcome economic inertia. Joseph Muscat is a committed pro-business leader with a constant watch on the social aspects of our society. He has admitted that the lessons learnt in the past four years will not be forgotten if people once again show trust in his leadership. The electorate knows that on important and vital, social, economic and progressive issues Joseph Muscat will deliver as promised.
The alternative is a weak coalition dominated by sectorial interests with little or no commitment to continuing the successful strategy of economic growth and with no credibility based on ability to turn electoral promises into reality to improve people’s lives.
Maltese society is constantly changing. Today we are amongst the foremost nations that promote civil liberties, economic success and fairness to the majority of people who need and want to work. We are also a society that cares about those less able to support themselves for reasons beyond their own control.
Malta will have a bright future ahead of it if it gives value to stability, continuity and the credibility of its current political leadership under Joseph Muscat. Much more needs to be done to claim that we have reached our most important social, economic and environmental goals. This can be done as the last four years have shown a determination and dynamism to overcome all obstacles and place Malta on a winning trajectory.