Over 4,300 new jobs created this year

Over 4,300 new jobs have been created in the past year, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said yesterday, thanks to a number of new investment opportunities in Malta.

Speaking during a social activity at the Nationalist Party club in Mosta, the Prime Minister said this figure did not include posts that had been vacated by workers who had reached pensionable age.

He said the government would continue to create the best economic environment to create wealth for as many people as possible.

The Prime Minister added that the fact that jobs were being created by the private sector showed the confidence that existed in the country.

Investment was also growing because the government was investing heavily in education - Lm23 million since the opening of MCAST in 2000. This college was being attended by 4,000 full-time students and another 4,000 part-time.

The services sector, he said, was growing rapidly, with 1,376 companies now registered in Malta - 200 more than at the same time last year.

During an earlier visit to GlobalCapital - a financial services company in Balzan - Dr Gonzi stressed how local businesses could exploit the opportunities offered by EU membership. He said GlobalCapital was a shining example.

The government was determined to strengthen the financial services sector and thus create more jobs.

Chris Pace, chairman of GlobalCapital, said that since Malta joined the EU two years ago, the company has increased its workforce from 127 to 173, and had attracted back office work from BUPA, among others, and is expanding its call centre operations.