The saying ‘The day you plant the seed is not the day you eat the fruit’ might sound like a well-worn cliché, but what our country is experiencing right now is the inevitable outcome of months and years of diligent, strategic planning by the government, together with visionary collaborations with various stakeholders. It has taken an enormous amount of hard work, sacrifice, and cooperation by each and every one of us, for our country to stand where it is today, after enduring and more importantly overcoming such a tumultuous period in our history.

Thankfully, that period is over, and we have come out on the other side much stronger and with a clearer vision for a modern future, which also encompasses the lessons we have learnt along the way, including a new way of doing things. Embarking on the generation of economic activity for all is now the way forward. As a government, we have sought over the past weeks to ensure that no one is left to fall by the wayside and our drive towards even greater prosperity is wholly inclusive for individuals and businesses alike.

The full reopening of the Malta International Airport guarantees that one of our main economic pillars and the livelihood of thousands of families; tourism will be well on its way towards full recovery. The distribution of the €100 vouchers for all over 16 residents is now well underway, an exercise which will not only offer a little respite to households after the past dark days but will encourage consumption and consequently assist businesses in getting back on their feet. These are just a couple of examples of how government’s careful strategies are successfully reigniting our economy.

We believe that the seeds we have diligently sown over the past few years have borne fruit, not only in the day to day running of our country but more importantly when it really mattered. And we are not alone in this. Esteemed international authorities share our conviction that we are and have been on the right track prior to and throughout the pandemic. The recent European Commission’s report remarking that of all member states, Malta’s economy will be the least impacted and the first to recover is clear evidence of this.

However, in the annals of our country’s history, this administration will not be remembered for resting on its laurels, but rather for taking advantage of every opportunity which could benefit our citizens and their quality of life. Therefore, we do not view the European Commission’s remarks solely as gratifying commendations but compellingly as further impetus to ‘make hay, while the sun shines’ and increase our efforts in honing our current competitive edge and attract even more future investments to our country.

It is also heartening to note the data emanating from the Statistical Office of the European Union, Eurostat, which in its latest press release confirmed that Maltese industry continued to be among the best in the bloc, coming only second to Finland which has experienced a slightly lower decline than our country. Statistics show that despite the pandemic, between April and May 2020, Malta experienced a 3 percent increase in industrial production.

On average across the eurozone, the results were more than four times worse than those experienced in Malta. To put this into context, Germany, for example, experienced a decrease of 23%. Slovakia was most hard hit with a loss of 33.5%. It is worth remembering that until recently this country had the same ‘A +’ rating as our country, but which in recent months has been downgraded due to the turbulence its economy has suffered.

As a government we have done our utmost to safeguard industry. The Economic Regeneration Plan we have unveiled a few weeks ago, has several measures aimed specifically at this sector. This is in addition to the plan containing the largest investment plan in capital infrastructure ever proposed in our country. The full restoration of industry as a key driver of Malta's economic development remains highest on this government’s list of priorities.

Encouraging figures have also been published by our National Statistics Office, which show that last December the number of full-time workers in our country increased by six point three per cent or by about thirteen thousand and three hundred persons compared to the same month of the previous year. Admittedly, this was before all hell broke loose globally, but it is a great source of pride for this administration that we have managed, despite the odds, especially in terms of employment, to minimise the collateral damage brought about by the pandemic.

While the Opposition indulges in playground shenanigans as it struggles with its internal strife, with little to no care on how this is impacting the country at such a crucial time, this Government remains the only source of certainty and stability which our nation sorely needs right now. Meanwhile, the figures speak for themselves; figures, plaudits and positive results which we aspire to and which will serve as a backdrop for our collective efforts to ultimately reignite our economy, power up at full throttle and further bolster our country as a jurisdiction, the jurisdiction of choice for several investors who appreciate our continuous economic evolution and choose Malta as their base.  A scenario which, as in the recent past, will make for a ‘Better Tomorrow’ for all our businesses, families, and citizens.