The government launched the Malta Vision 2050, a document which includes 90 macro-measures.

Among other things, the government also proposes changing the way the government measures success, moving away from being based on just the GDP, onto three measurements, the human development report, median disposable income and overall experience in life. While GDP is of course important, this move will hopefully lead to a better, more realistic way of measuring the success of the nation.

As an initial reaction, having an overall plan for the country, which encompasses not just a single sector, but all sectors, provides a direction with which the country can work towards. It must be a living plan, which can adapt to potential advances in technology or situations that could arise.  The vision, the government had said, consolidates other government strategies that have already been issued to ensure there isn't any contradictory issues, among other things.

In terms of economic sectors, the vision highlights which ones are to be accelerated, such as shipping and maritime, and which ones are to be better managed, like construction. It also aims for Malta's median disposable income to rise, in other words, for people to have more money in their pocket. The aforementioned macro-measures cover the economy, citizen-centred services, education, and land and sea usage.

Some measures include, for instance, an expanded Freeport capacity through outward land reclamation, more efficient ship registration processes, a focus on the opening of new international routes for the aviation sector, studying a potential third interconnector and the list goes on.

There are measures which will, undoubtedly, cause controversy, such as the "exploration of large land reclamation initiatives to address limited land space and create additional space for the country's needs." Such initiatives will need to be studied in more detail, especially when it comes to implementation.

Something the government must also take into consideration is population size and physical space. One of the macro-initiatives is to meet the demand for dwelling units, through renovation and new buildings. The 'Smart construction' section proposes  "a real estate development that prioritizes renovation while incorporating vertical expansion in strategic areas and multi-purpose buildings for new constructions, reducing land consumption, safeguarding urban historic areas, making them more livable and providing required utilities and transport infrastructures." A focus on renovation is ideal, and some vertical expansion will of course be needed, but at the same time the lack of space in urban areas and the sheer amount of traffic congestion means that intensifying urban development could have serious repercussions.  It will be a tricky situation to manage, and the government's aim in all it does must be to make peoples' lives better.

The vision also brings back the idea of a mass transport system, with officials having said that the exact type of system would be unveiled after the public consultation. This has thus far been a pie in the sky proposal, and it remains to be seen if this time the government will be serious about its implementation, but the fact that it has at least been put back on the agenda for discussion is good news.

The vision document is currently going through a public consultation process. It was welcomed by The Malta Chamber of Commerce, which described it as an "encouraging step forward" in setting a holistic long-term strategy and clear direction for the country.  The Malta Chamber of SMEs meanwhile also welcomed Malta Vision 2050, which it said aims to reshape Malta's future towards a more sustainable economy.

The Nationalist Party, meanwhile, said that while Malta's Vision 2050 is a step in the right direction, but it firmly believes that it is time for clear, tangible deliverables, not just more empty promises and long-term plans that never see the light of the day.

The vision the government has laid out is now there for all to view and critique. Having long-term goals will help the government and various sectors focus on where to aim. For the vision to be a success, however, the two major political parties must agree on the finalised document, as otherwise working towards those goals as administrations change could be problematic.

In addition, when it comes to the finer points of implementation, the government must still listen to what the public is saying even if it is mentioned in the vision, especially on more controversial plans, for instance when it comes to future potential land reclamation projects.