Five hundred entrepreneurs and self-employed workers participated in a three-day consultation regarding Malta Vision 2050, the Office of the Prime Minister said.
Prime Minister Robert Abela remarked that Malta Vision 2050 "is not just a plan, but a promise that I believe we should make to ourselves as Maltese and Gozitan people". The OPM stated that Abela said this at the conclusion of three days of consultation, where entrepreneurs and self-employed workers provided concrete suggestions for the project.
The OPM added that the Prime Minister spoke of how a resilient Malta is a Malta which can overcome global uncertainties while continuing to succeed and not having anyone fall behind. The Prime Minister remarked that economic progress must translate into tangible improvements in people's daily lives, and added that Malta Vision 2050 will not be a static document, but rather a framework which adapts to the ever-changing needs of the country's society and economy.
Abela commented that for Malta to continue to be successful, the efforts of everyone is needed, including the business community. The OPM stated that while addressing the entrepreneurs present as part of the consultation process, the Prime Minister said that the government believes in the important role played by the Maltese entrepreneur as an innovator who creates work and quality careers while functioning as catalysts for economic success.
"Your commitment is essential to turn this vision into reality. Together we can create a Malta that not only meets the challenges of tomorrow but succeeds in the opportunities that the future brings", Abela said.
The convention was also addressed by Glenn Micallef, the European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture, and Sport. The OPM stated that Micallef spoke of the importance of a country understanding the emerging changes and exploring the possibilities of the future. "It is not about predicting the future, but about generating a wide range of views about the future. Finally, the forecast is about improving the quality of life for every citizen, in Malta and the European Union as a whole."
Those who attended the three-day convention were given the opportunity to attend workshops which served as a source of ideas towards recommendations for the future of Malta. The OPM added that the workshops had four themes, those being increasingly sustainable economic growth, quality of life, a country capable of self-reliance, and thoughtful planning.
It concluded that the next step in the consultation phase is to draft Malta Vision 2050 with intermediate targets for another ten years, while also taking suggestions that came from the consultation workshops. It added that this convention was just one of a series of consultation methods currently underway in the design of Malta Vision 2050.