As the clock strikes midnight at the dawn of every new year, as humankind, we tend to draw a blank on the unpalatable happenings of the previous year and look forward to starting a fresh page, while aspiring to replenish and nurture the positive aspects we have experienced during the previous twelve months.
December of the previous year also brought a fresh sense of hope to humankind. Soon after Christmas Day we have witnessed locally the arrival of the vaccine, a historic moment indeed, followed then by the commencing of the vaccination process of our front liners. This was a much-anticipated moment for our nation. However, we must be aware that we are not out of the woods yet, not but a long stretch. The need to remain forever vigilant and continue following the instructions by our public health authorities remains for now, constant.
After a turbulent year, December was also a crucial month for businesses. While the pandemic created severe hardship for some businesses, with some experiencing a substantial drop in revenue, it was also an eye-opener for several others, which rapidly adjusted their modus operandi, by successfully enhancing their online presence and launching their delivery services, ultimately rendering them incredibly positive results, despite the circumstances. If anything, regardless of a raging pandemic and its fallout, 2020 will forever remain etched in our collective psyches as the year where the majority of our businesses showed their true grit and managed to not only rise from the ashes but have turned around ordinary enterprises into fully-fledged successful endeavours.
And the determination to look forward must continue, because ultimately, that is our destination. However, without diminishing the importance of the arrival of the vaccine, where is 2021 taking us? The gift of foresight is elusive to most of us and as 2020 has clearly shown, predicting the future is an exercise in futility. The pandemic has wrought havoc on the best laid plans, but what we must surely do now is take what we have learnt during this time and continue building on it. As the old saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention and this has never been as evident as during the adverse circumstances of the past few months. Not only have we witnessed accelerated changes in several sectors of our economy but have seen first-hand the reinvention of several business models.
Therefore, we need to continue building on the foundations we have unearthed in 2020, assess their benefits and tweak accordingly. If we stop for a moment and truly analyse the situation, a simple thought comes to mind; If we have managed as an economy, as a nation, as a business community to rise above a raging pandemic, imagine what we are capable of in times of relative normality.
In the meantime, as a government we will continue to support and motivate our businesses to invest in more digital platforms and a greener outlook, which in hindsight have served as a lifeline for plenty of businesses to not only stay afloat but thrive and flourish. As we have proved several times in the past, we shall continue to provide certainty in times of adversity and be there for all our people, when it matters most. Thus we will be soon embarking on re-stimulating economic activity across the board through the distribution of second round of €100 Government voucher through an economic injection of €45 million. An initiative, which the same as the previous one shall bear strong results.
Therefore, I genuinely believe that the future for our country as a whole is bright, much brighter than pre-2020. We have proved to ourselves and to the world, that together we can overcome any challenge, that our hardworking people have a solid shoulder to lean on in their government, who will continue to ensure the wellbeing of their families and communities regardless of circumstance.
2020 has, if nothing else, taught us what is really important in this life, the importance of solidarity and community and now on the eve of 2021, we have a perfect opportunity to determine our destination, another chance to write a new and valid chapter, so my appeal to you all is, let’s make it a good one.