A family-friendly government

As a mother of young children, as a wife and as a doctor, I am pleased to note that since Lawrence Gonzi was appointed Prime Minister barely three years ago, he has put the family at the top of his agenda. In the past three years we have seen a family-friendly government and it is positive to note that this trend is set to continue.

The pre-Budget document, aptly called 'Families Growing Stronger', gives ample proof of this commitment with no fewer than 200 proposals to improve the standard of living of the Maltese family. Thousands of people and several organisations have been consulted before drawing up the pre-Budget document, therefore all proposals are based on people's needs and aspirations. There are many proposals aimed at providing the best education for my children. Surely we have come a long way in this sector.

Today our children have many opportunities which my generation could only dream of. From the first crucial stage of schooling up to university and beyond, this country has witnessed a silent revolution. The setting up of MCAST has been a blessing. The other day I met a couple whose daughter, having completed secondary education, had failed to obtain the necessary qualifications to continue with her studies. A couple of years ago our children who went through this experience couldn't continue their studies and either had to repeat the year or seek employment.

This couple's daughter is now able to enrol at MCAST in a foundation course with the possibility to further her studies in a course of her choice. This is no mean feat. Back in my day, and that wasn't ages ago, University boasted of a few hundred students; today the student population at University has increased dramatically. This happened because successive Nationalist governments have invested heavily in education making it possible for our children to further their studies.

Thanks to Nationalist governments Malta is today a member of the European Union and our children are making the most of it. Through the pre-Budget document Government intends to continue with its commitment to offer students the opportunity to pursue their studies and develop their potential.

As a doctor and a mother, health matters greatly to me. As the pre-Budget document correctly mentions, good health is an important pre-requisite that enables individuals and society to further their economic growth and development. The Gonzi administration has invested heavily in the health sector, and the new state-of-the art 825-bed acute hospital, Mater Dei, is but one example of this sound investment.

Government remains committed to build on the strengths of the health sector and promote this as a key industry in Malta's strategy for social and economic development. Community care, primary care and long-term care services will be high on the agenda in next year's Budget. The 'Pharmacy of Your Choice' scheme will allow people who avail themselves of free medicines to be able to obtain their medicines from their own community pharmacy. This has been warmly received as it will facilitate the access to collect the medicines prescribed.

Dr Gonzi apart from being prime minister is also a husband, a father of three children in their late teens and has been actively involved in voluntary organisations before his fruitful term as Minister for Social Policy. With his experience, he is the best person to understand the needs of our families so it is no co-incidence that the family is his top priority.

Dr Farrugia is a Mosta councillor