About a year ago, when the international crisis was at its worst, several foreign companies which had invested in Malta found themselves in difficulty. Orders from the UK had decreased drastically for Stainless Steel Products Ltd and although the 107 employees started working a four-day week, their jobs were suddenly under threat.

Today, because of the Nationalist government's focus on safeguarding jobs, Stainless Steel is not only back on its feet, it will be increasing its investment and its workforce. Similarly, Methode Electronics, which employs some 750 workers, was also in difficulty this time last year. Once again the Nationalist government intervened and today Methode has not only kept all its workers, it has invested €6.5 million and plans to invest €6 million more in the near future.

Trelleborg, another foreign company employing some 450 workers, was also negatively affected by the international recession. The company, already on a four-day week, was on the verge of laying off 150 workers or reducing its operations to a three-day week. Thanks to the Nationalist government's policy to target assistance to companies in difficulty, 150 jobs have been saved. In 2009, the company invested €2 million and it has now committed itself to employ 85 other workers by the end of 2010.

Globally, the concrete measures taken by the government last year alone rescued some 2,500 jobs. There is no doubt that the government's topmost priority to save and generate jobs is leaving the desired results.