Try figure this out

Statistics might be boring to some but they do provide interesting reading. Take the latest National Statistics Office (NSO) data on wholesale and retail.

It indicates that profits in this sector have shot up by 22 per cent. That is a significant increase at a time when a number of players have been voicing their concern at developments in this sector.

It would be interesting if the Malta Chamber of Commerce and the Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises - GRTU were to comment on this figure.

Is it the case that wholesale and retail are booming or was this figure arrived at in some other manner?

In other words, is the economy growing or are the increases the result of something else?

What will be the effect of these changes on the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) figures and how should they be assessed?

• The Finance Minister went on record saying that his government might be missing on some targets it had set itself with regard to public finances.

The minister blames this variance on unspecified collective agreements that have increased government spending.

Who set the finance targets? The Prime Minister and his government.

Who took the decisions in connection with the agreements which the minister is referring to? The Prime Minister and his government.

So it is either the case that the government did not take into account the decisions it would be making or it could be that these decisions were made as part and parcel of the high-spending electoral campaign, courtesy of the taxpayers.

• This point is directly related to the argument I put forward on unit labour costs in a previous article. Statistics prove that Malta's competitiveness is being eroded by the government and the decisions taken by the Prime Minister.

This is the same Prime Minister who is telling one and all - especially salaried employees - to be cautious in order not to erode competitiveness. At least, his Social Policy Minister is telling him that competitiveness has much more to do with productivity rather than simply wages.

The government is trying to brush this issue aside. I am sorry, but people expect a clear, unequivocal explanation.

• Two weeks ago, the Finance Minister informed us that his experts are working on data independently of the NSO. Apart form the fact that it would be interesting to see whether these experts are part of the Economic Policy Division, the ministry or are engaged directly from the private sector, I renew my call on the minister to tell us whether he intends to start publishing this data. It would be very interesting if the minister had to publish the GDP projections he was given for March, June and September in order to study any variances.

Seeing how the government manages its forecasts for the whole economy would be even more interesting given that the government does not seem to do that well in meeting projections on issues it is directly responsible for.

• I have learnt a lot from my experience in the European Parliament. It is an institution that fosters debate. It is a place where the politics of ideas finds fertile ground. It is a constructive way of doing politics. If people from different political groups converge on an idea, they can move forward together.

At the same time there is hard confrontation. Nevertheless, it is not a confrontation of personalities but a confrontation of ideas.

I will work hard to take the spirit of the European Parliament to the Maltese Parliament.

Dr Muscat is the leader of the Malta Labour Party.

www.josephmuscat.com