We all want to have a more beautiful country and enjoy a better quality of life, with better opportunities for everyone.

The 26 March General Election is a clear choice between the future and the past.

 During the last two years, Prime Minister Robert Abela faced an unprecedented international crisis in the health and economic sectors in the form of the global pandemic.   Malta emerged from this as the country with the most successful vaccination rate and as one of the fastest recovering economies in Europe.

The question is:  Are we going to move forward towards a better future with Robert Abela and the Labour Party at the helm, or will we move back in time with the Nationalist Party led by Bernard Grech?

During the first two weeks of electoral campaiging the Partit Laburista has presented clear priorities for the future.   The PL is coming forward with serious proposals which are all costed.  In contrast, the PN is proposing measures which, apart from not being costed, change from one day to the next.  In fact, I can count at least five versions of the PN electoral manifesto, with one version superseeding the next almost on a daily basis. 

The people at tal-Pieta’ are clearly not prepared or equipped to come up with a serious electoral manifesto, let alone run the country.  Moreover, the Partit Nazzjonalista is threatening what has already been achieved.  One example of this is the way they will be throwing out of the window the benefits of the pre-1995 rent reform.    

In contrast, the PL Electoral Manifesto plans to increase, and not taper assistance.    The PL is proposing:

 - an investment of €700 million in green spaces

- increase in pensions

- increase in children’s allowance

- decrease in taxes for workers

- decrease in taxes for businesses

 - Children’s Guarantee

- improved IVF services, so that more people can become parents. 

 - More assistance for families of persons with disabilities.

The electorate has to ask itself whether it is willing to trust Bernard Grech and his fractured party during a time when we are emerging from a pandemic and facing instability following the Russian-Ukranian war?

We have to ask ourselves whether we want to return back to a time when those who put Bernard Grech at the helm of the Party end up effectively leading our country and calling the shots.

The answer for me is very straightforward: a big fat no.

+ + + +

A package of measures for businesses in continuation of the Recovery Plan

This week we issued a number of proposals which have the aim of complementing other measures announced in recent months.

A very important pledge is the one which will see the passing of legislate so that every business and self-employed is entitled to a basic bank account without delay.   Also, we will adopt models used in other countries to introduce rules to banks aimed at ensuring access to basic banking services for certain sectors.

Through this right, all legitimate businesses will have the opportunity to have a basic account by means of which they can pay salaries and make international payments in the euro zone.

Another important pledge will see the establishment of a Credit Review Office with the aim of reconciling and arbitrating expeditiously between commercial banks and private customers when applying for loans, if the need arises.   We want to ensure that the lending system works effectively, especially for small businesses and the self-employed.

In the event of a complaint this office will make its recommendations for consideration

of the bank.

We want to give the best environment for businesses to start, grow and expand their operations.  To this end we will simplify the processes so that businesses do not have to submit the same documentation multiple times to different regulatory bodies, including when it comes to due diligence applicable to all Government bodies.

This measure will not only save money for businesses but will help them focus on improving their operations. It is also a measure that reduces the waste of government resources.

We will also reward investment with two new schemes.

Firstly, a grant to those expanding operation  whereby a financial grant to all companies that expand their operations by investing in the purchase of equipment, implants and intellectual property will be given.  We will effectively provide a financial grant equivalent to 30% of the investment made in this type of fixed capital.

The financial grant will be increased by a further 10% (ie 40%) for those businesses that make this investment in the digital, environmental, social, educational, renewable energy and any other investments in Gozo.

Secondly we will also push forward a Profit Reinvestment Scheme.  This will see to the full refund of tax paid on that profit which is reinvested in the same business or new businesses.  This grant effectively complements the Corporate Tax deduction.

Another important issue is the payment of Energy Audit for micro and small companies.

Malta Enterprise provides financial assistance to micro and small businesses to implement the recommendations of energy audits conducted to achieve accredited international standards.

We will be assisting those businesses that implement these recommendations with tax credits. We will do this by extending the eligibility of the SME-tailored facility of the Malta Development Bank to start including green projects from the private sector leading to the creation of green jobs.

We will give companies that create green jobs a tax credit on wages amounting to a maximum of 75% in the first year, 50% in the second year and 25% in the third year.  We will also introduce a tax credit equivalent to the total cost of training workers to prepare them for the green economy.

Also, a Labour Government will design a legal framework specifically to attract more start-ups to take this step.  This framework will introduce a system of taxation for companies and employees of start-ups and will be complemented by a private equity fund that provides capital for them.  Priority will be given to eco-start-ups and we also introduce a one stop shop to make all start-up help accessible under one roof.

Together we can create a beautiful future.