Sustainable development crucial part of government's programme

A revision of rent laws, legislation to protect the rights of cohabiting couples and the introduction of a sex offenders register were the key novel features of the President's speech yesterday in his address to mark the opening of the 11th Parliament.

President Eddie Fenech Adami said the government was inviting "everybody" to join it in a sustainable development pact, doing away with resentment and division, and working together for the common good.

Dr Fenech Adami said the revision of the rent laws was designed to encourage efficient use of existing buildings. The new legislation would seek to protect current tenants while ensuring that landlords received their dues.

The government would also improve and adapt existing schemes while introducing new ones, to make it possible for more people to buy their own home.

The title of tenant-farmers to state-owned land would be strengthened while fishing and animal husbandry would be nurtured through further support and investment made possible in part by European Union funds.

Meanwhile, the government's economic plans were designed to provoke greater economic activity by incentivising work and stimulating demand.

"The aim is to shift the current deficit into surplus by 2010 - an ambitious aim in the light of the international economic situation, but one that the government firmly believes can be realised."

Public expenditure would continue to be restricted without compromising social services, healthcare and education. The government would also intensify the fight against tax evasion and the abuse of social services.

A number of tax reforms contained in the Nationalist Party's electoral programme were also announced, including lowering the income tax rate; incentives for women to return to work; the exemption of certain assets from exposure to inheritance tax; the abolition of departure tax, credit card levies and television licences; and adjustments to the car registration tax system.

The government has pledged to work with the private sector to strengthen the tourism product. It would seek to improve the country's air connections with as many destinations as possible, while ensuring that Air Malta was able to maintain its strategic role.

Turning to social policy, the President said the health, safety and sound development of children - where possible in stable families with parents who were married and supportive of each other - remained of paramount importance. However, it would also propose legislation that would protect those in cohabiting relationships.

Efforts at eradicating social services abuse would continue, but the government would also continue to subsidise water and electricity for households most in need. It would strengthen the regulatory set-up for competition and for the protection of the consumer by monitoring the prices of essential commodities like basic foods and medicines.

The government would improve schemes for the elderly living at their homes and modernise state-owned residential homes for those who needed more care. Pensions would also be improved.

With regard to the environment, the government reiterated its commitment to the proposed reform of the Malta Environment and Planning Authority and pledged that an increased effort would be made to improve air and water quality. The government would incentivise the use of energy-efficient systems and appliances and those that used alternative sources of energy, as well as encouraging and promoting the collection and use of rainwater and support research projects focusing on ecological innovation, clean energy and reduced emissions.

Public transport services would be strengthened and traffic management schemes developed, including those for the control and reduction of air pollution.

The government was also proposing legislation on public administration (the Public Administration Act); for a special investigator within the Permanent Commission Against Corruption; on freedom of information (the Freedom of Information Act); on the protection of whistleblowers (the Whistleblower Act); for the empowerment of the Ombudsman in coordinating all administrative complaints in the public service as a whole; and on the financing of political parties.

There would also be legislation on the strengthening of the electoral system, within the context of a revision of the Constitutional provisions. There were plans for the regulation of conflicts of interest of Members of Parliament with the placing in 'blind trust' any commercial interests and non-fixed/public investments held by government ministers and parliamentary secretaries.

The government also underlined its commitment to the growth of financial and ICT services, tourism and manufacture.

Furthermore, the government pledged there would be tax incentives for families hosting foreign students and strong investment in tourism areas and in the restoration and upkeep of heritage sites.