If anything in this country requires correction, the economy certainly ranks at the top. This feature emphasises, among others, that the problem with the Maltese economy is not the country's infrastructure but the overloading pressure in every sense and direction on the infrastructure.
Crisis management
A significant characteristic in the workings of our economy is lack of proper planning and management by crisis. A classic example of this predicament is the digging up of roads repeatedly to install new cables to solve power outages. When are we going to learn that instead of digging roads for the umpteenth time, underground tunnels can be constucted to pass utility cables without the need to dig up roads when the need arises?
Unfair competition
In the SME (Small and Medium Sized Enterprises) Barometer quarterly survey, conducted by the Malta Chamber of SMEs in collaboration with Misco, several concerns were raised about the country's economic challenges. This comes as no surprise as large foreign supermarket chains like LIDL, SPAR, and more recently the Italian chain ARD, have established operations in Malta.
It is acknowledged that these supermarkets offer advantageous prices on most goods to the consumer, which is very good. But what is not being realised is that they are being set up in Malta on an unfair competition basis. While Maltese corner shop businesses are taxed at a rate of 35%, foreign firms pay only 5% and naturally that is why their prices are cheaper.
Due to low income, consumers patronise these supermarkets, as they become conscious of their advantageous prices. Customers are now assuming the role of "petite accountants" as they meticulously ensure that every cent in their pockets will be wisely spent. To make ends meet, consumers do their utmost on how and where they spend their income for value for money.
Sense of community
This situation is also gradually killing off the Maltese traditional corner retail shops which are found in every town and village around the Maltese islands. These shops are rapidly vanishing. In addition to being an integral part of Maltese rural life, there exists a close, familiar and special relationship between the owner of the shop and the consumer which is built over the years. This is in sharp contrast to the formal, cold and quick-paced life of a supermarket that forms part of the modern rat-race, as consumers hurriedly do their shopping moving fast track to the cash point to pay and leave. Not only is the sense of community, built over the years, coming to an end but also the very fabric of unity between the population is slowly disappearing. This sociological aspect should not be overlooked or taken lightly.
Restaurants
Another saga is the one faced by Maltese restaurateurs as many Italian restaurants are establishing business in Malta. Maltese restaurants are suffering a loss in business in that many consumers prefer using delivery apps to buy from these restaurants. It is true that we have McDonalds and Burger King, but the Maltese agents must pay off part of their profits to these firms. This is another loss for the Maltese economy in that it is a source of "leakage" having the effect of transferring income that was earned in Malta to another country.
Migratory flow
Not only are local retail shops closing, but we are also witnessing a rise in the number of young and not so young Maltese who are emigrating in their thousands because they are disgruntled at the state of lack of opportunities existing for work as many employers prefer to engage foreign workers on cheap labour and sometimes modern "slavery" conditions.
The euro's downward trend
It is little wonder that a reduction in taxes has been announced in the forthcoming budget. The reason for this is that the Maltese cannot financially cope with the situation where their purchasing power is being greatly reduced by way of income (wages, salaries and pensions).
The cost of living has been affected also by the euro losing 40% of its monetary value. Malta entered the Eurozone at a time when the euro was not yet a tried and tested currency and there was no idea what its future would be. Now we know because it has lost at least 40% of its value. This forecast had been exposed as early as 2005 by the Brexit party leader Nigel Farage as a member of the European Parliament. Farage was viciously criticised for this revelation but three weeks later the President of the European Bank had to admit this was true and released a statement confirming the loss in value.
Our policy makers have created an economy of "concrete boxes". The Malta Developers Association had issued a worrying statement to the effect of declaring that to sustain an economy based on development and construction, more workers must be "imported". This "white elephant" economy is putting pressure on the country. Not only is the aesthetic aspect of the Maltese countryside being destroyed by masses of concrete structures, but we are forgetting what the word "sustainability" means. The impression is that this country has turned into one massive rush for quick profits, with little regard for long-term sustainability.
Low-cost airlines and cheap tourism
The lack of care for a sustainable economy is also evident with the introduction of low-cost airlines resulting in the "hamburger" type of tourists where a pizza is shared among two or three people. Many hoteliers are now flooding the local market and their hotels with these types of holidaymakers because news is spreading all over Europe that Malta is a haven for drugs. The result is that most of these so-called "tourists" visit Malta to "enjoy" marijuana, sex and alcohol. Is this the type of reputation Malta is building and which our islands deserve? Liberalism at its worse.
A glut of concrete boxes
Our market is now overflooded with apartments which many call "chicken pens" or concrete boxes. Now that supply is exceeding demand, many developers are panicking and diversifying their business by applying for government tenders because they need a cash flow due to the drop in sales of these apartments. Our economy is going into smoke as the economic model will slowly crumble. What are the PN and the PL doing to address this status quo. This country is already over suffocated with overpopulation; still, rumours abound that policymakers will raise it up to the 1.5 million mark. Where will all these people stay?
Sanitary laws
The World Health Organization (WHO) does not have a specific policy solely focused on population density per square kilometre. However, it does acknowledge that population density can influence health outcomes.
Sanitation and the environment are affected by a high density population, which is Malta's case. People need space and clean air, among other things.
Our high density population means that people coming from every continent should be checked regarding their health status, especially if they suffer from any infectious diseases.
The importance of measures to prevent the spread of diseases on a small island cannot be overstressed enough. Human migration is increasing in magnitude and scope. According to an article titled, Infectious diseases at different stages of migration: an expert review by Christina Greenaway, MD, MSc, Francesco Castelli, MD, FRCP (Lond), FFTM RCPS (Glasg), FESCMID in the Journal of Travel Medicine, Volume 26, Issue 2, 2019, the majority of migrants arriving in high-income countries originate from countries with a high prevalence of infectious diseases.
Naturally, the risk and burden of infectious diseases are not equally distributed among migrant groups and vary with migration stages. Also, how about solving once and for all the situation where apartments are rented out to 20 or more foreign workers when the Health Department orders that an apartment can only take five persons due to its size. This also puts pressure on other utilities such as drainage and water consumption. Are the health standards being strictly observed and enforced?
A concerning fact is when young people feel unhappy with their country and migrate in large numbers, to other countries. Also, many are not noticing that our country is being divested of its culture and identity as the Maltese native population is dying out and is being overtaken by the foreign "invasion" of workers. Some may ask: "where is the Maltese worker?" The Maltese want to work but they cannot expect to be paid a pittance as most foreign workers receive.
It is not too late to reverse the situation our country is facing and to protect our future generations if only both main political parties pull the rope in the same direction and fix the situation. But are the two main parties really and wholeheartedly interested in solving these issues or are they simply interested in going to the EU Parliament to deliver a polished speech or report, while the concerns of the "average person" are overlooked? Only time will tell.