The Nationalist Party would, if elected, create a national fund to assist local industry, entrepreneurs and SMEs reduce the difficulties they face and excess expenses caused by the country’s insularity, sources within the party told The Malta Independent.
Speaking with this newsroom, PN sources said that this proposal forms part of a wider PN plan for logistical support for local industry, that will be unveiled at a later date. The plan is being drafted by one of the PN clusters. “Together with operators within the logistics sector, entrepreneurs and the concerned entities, we will help industry overcome the challenges brought about by insularity, through efficient and effective structures, modern and green infrastructure, integrated digital systems and a simplification of procedures without bureaucracy,” one source said.
The size of the aforementioned fund would vary from year to year, and would be dependent on a mechanism agreed upon by the relevant constituted bodies. This scheme would be worked in collaboration with the Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry, the Malta Chamber of SMEs, as well as all interested stakeholders, sources said.
“This way, Maltese industry would become more competitive and productive.”
The logistical support plan will include a number of other proposals and will result in a number of benefits, sources added. The plan’s aims will be to: “create new quality jobs with higher wages; for Maltese consumers to benefit from price reductions due to a reduction in importer and exporter expenses; and operators being incentivised to introduce more environmentally friendly systems and practices that would reduce pollution caused by transport.”
Some of the other aims include making Malta more competitive, reducing the transit time for goods deliveries and to facilitate and incentivise exportation, especially for SMEs, in order for them to have better access to international markets, the sources added.
The sources added that a PN government would aim to turn Malta into a key centre of logistical excellence.