"While Malta's small size and openness make it susceptible to external shocks, it is able to weather such storms due to the high level of competitiveness as well as elevated wealth levels." - Moody's.

Five years after the alarmist forecasts that "Labour won't work" and that we will "beg for a bailout", international credit rating agencies certify Malta's recent track record of strong economic growth, an elevated per-capita income and very high scores in terms of global competitiveness. This week, Moody's has highlighted Malta's sustained progress on public sector debt reduction and the prospects for further fiscal consolidation on the back of a buoyant economic performance.

A strong reply

While classifying our country's economy at A3 level, Moody's pointed out that it will be upgrading Malta's rating to A2 if its ongoing improvement in fiscal strength is sustained.

In sharp contrast with the red lights imagined by a few, Malta's institutional strength is deemed 'High' by Moody's, reflecting the country's robust policy framework, enhancements to institutions and policy-making framework of public-sector entities. Furthermore, Moody's acknowledged that the country's fiscal consolidation efforts were bearing fruit, with our fiscal surplus expected to hover around 2.5 per cent in 2018 and 2019. Coupled with strong economic growth, this will continue to contribute towards a rapid reduction of Malta's debt-to-GDP ratio.

Such international certifications are indeed a formidable reply to those who have been desperately - and maliciously - acting against the national interest in recent years. They have attempted to destabilise our institutions by way of perpetrating blatant lies with defamatory implications, but have found such a wise response from an overwhelming majority that rose above all the concerted efforts intended to provoke unrest.

The excellent economic and financial results that keep flooding in send a loud message to an Opposition that obstinately continues to live in denial. The long list of firsts demonstrates that the country expects a decent and responsible Opposition that is clear and consistent on what it stands for and comes up with useful and alternative proposals.

Facts and figures

Mid-August this year has seen 211,071 passengers and 56,528 vehicles crossing over to Gozo during Santa Marija week. Gozo Channel operated 742 trips between the islands, mainly on a shuttle service to meet the demand. This meant a rise of four per cent in the number of passengers and six per cent in the number of vehicles compared with the same period last year.

I thank the management and employees of Gozo Channel who worked tirelessly to accommodate all those who planned their holidays in Gozo during this particular period of the peak season. I also thank all the staff at the Gozo Ministry, the security forces, entities and all Gozo private operators that have worked together with the Ministry to ensure a very successful week and have coped well with a record number of visitors that practically doubled the island's population.

In the words of the CEO of the Gozo Tourism Association, Joe Muscat, Santa Marija week is considered by many as the best week of the year for tourism, but a survey carried out by the Association has shown that Gozo has now become a sought-after destination throughout the whole year. The GTA is, in fact, optimistic that Gozo will continue to attract more tourism as a result of the joint efforts of all the stakeholders - led by the Gozo Ministry.

Such an acknowledgement is further supported by NSO figures this week which show that, in the second quarter of the year, the number of guests and nights spent in Gozo and Comino was up on last year by 6.9 per cent and 3.3 per cent respectively, to 28,381 and 99,184. For the first six months of the year, the total number of guests in Gozo and Comino amounted to 44,615 - an increase of 7.2 per cent on last year, when the figure stood at 41,611.

Consultation still on

It is imperative that such excellent results encourage us to work harder. Diligent planning on all aspects of this vital industry is a must and needs to be a continuous task for all the entities involved. It should convince us further of the need to establish the Gozo Regional Development Authority, which I launched two weeks ago and which has already had its first reading in Parliament before the summer recess.

All interested parties and organisations are reminded that an open public consultation exercise is currently underway until Monday, 3rd September. The proposed Authority will include representations from various local stakeholders and will be responsible for the implementation and upgrading of the regional development strategy for Gozo - including tourism - with clear targets linked to predetermined dates.

The Gozo Ministry will focus on the political direction within the framework of national policies, but with special attention to the island's specific needs. This will allow the Authority to institutionalise various roles and ensures continuity in the implementation of set targets. It will also ensure that Gozo has its own development strategy - to be reviewed every three years - for the economic, social and tourism framework as well as the environmental aspect of Gozo, so that they are all constantly updated to meet changing circumstances and opportunities. I am confident that the public's input at this consultation stage will enrich and beef up the relevant bill, thus strengthening the effectiveness of the Authority.

Foreigners learning Maltese

I have recently met Gozitan author Dr Charles Daniel Saliba, who presented me with three of his books for level A1 of the Maltese per Stranieri series. They are the latest publications by Dr Saliba and focus on the teaching of Maltese to foreigners, and are particularly aimed at Italian residents and workers on the island.

Such books are useful in creating interest and raising awareness about our mother tongue among visitors and residents. I believe that the Maltese language should be kept alive by adapting to the times without losing its identity. Broadening knowledge of it should help better communication for those who choose our islands as their second home. Dr Saliba is to be congratulated for his important work as it incorporates the specific factors that learning our language leads to better understanding and communicating. I fully concur with him that such books can be useful tools in helping the survival of our national language as a strong component of our identity.

Gozo Film Festival

This evening will see the conclusion of the second edition of the Gozo Film Festival at the Citadel which has been running since Friday. Following last year's success, this weekend festival has been organised by the Gozo Film Club, with the support of the Directorate - Tourism and Economic Development within the Ministry for Gozo.

This free-of-charge event promotes Gozitan, Maltese and international film-makers with selected short and feature movies, spanning different genres for the public to view. This year's varied repertoire has been aimed at attracting a wider audience, both in taste and age range. At the end of many activities for different tastes and genres, the festival will come to a close tonight with the screening of the popular family film Treasure in Malta.