Minister for Finance and Employment Clyde Caruana on Wednesday said that the Nationalist Party was being not being responsible in “promising everything to everyone.”
He said that “politicians need to be very responsible over what they promised, especially now as we approach a general election, irrespective of when it's held.”
“I appeal for responsibility. In my budget speech, I shouldered responsibility for what I promised and ensured that the country is strong enough for all that we announced.”
“I hope the Opposition does the same. However, from what we are seeing it is clear that since it is in Opposition, the PN had the luxury to promise everything to everyone,” he remarked.
Caruana said that contrary to what he had done in his budget speech, PN leader Bernard Grech did not quantify the cost of the PN's promised measures nor did he say how many people would benefit from them.
Reacting to yesterday’s EY survey report, Caruana said that in order for Malta’s economy to continue to grow, workers must put in more hours at work and that they are looking into helping people improve their skills and increase productivity in the coming years.
“We are encouraging more people, as long as they are willing, to put in more hours at work”.
Caruana remarked that high paying jobs were often being taken up by foreign workers due to locals not having the necessary skills set.
Therefore, he said that following the current population census, the government will be conducting surveys to understand the shortcomings of the local skill market as well as carry out a digital audit of all workplaces to ensure Malta can provide local’s with good opportunities.
In reply to questions from journalists, Caruana said that the outcome of Malta’s attractiveness survey to direct foreign investments was “undoubtedly influenced by recent events such as the greylisting.”
He added that contrary to the PN, he could not give an exact time frame by when Malta will be off the FATF grey-list.
“From my end, I can vouch that the government has launched intensive efforts and is undergoing discussions with the FATF board and bilateral countries to ensure we get off the grey list”, he said.
"We are doing our utmost so that Malta is taken off the grey list in the shortest possible time," Caruana added.
Caruana remarked that since the PL has been in government, Malta’s labour market had grown as never before which enabled the government to gain more resources which will continue to be invested into those labour market niches that require further support.