‘Happiness’ key to Vision 2015 – MŻPN

Happiness is key to achieving the government’s Vision 2015 since an increase in economic wealth is no guarantee of an improved quality of life, according to a report compiled by the Nationalist Party’s youth section.

In order to realise the vision, aimed at turning Malta into a centre of excellence in Europe and the Mediterranean by 2015, the government should aim to improve the national happiness index, which measures quality of life, while simultaneously addressing the country’s gross domestic product, the MŻPN pointed out.

Vision 2015, born in 2007, addresses seven sectors, namely financial services, information and communications, tourism, education, health services, high level value-added manufacturing and Gozo as an ecological island.

But, the MŻPN pointed out, for Malta to be a centre of excellence, the government should not freeze its gaze on the economic level but also explore the happiness index.

MŻPN’s Team 2015, made of 22 youth members, consulted with stakeholders and experts in the seven fields and came up with 150 proposals that may help government implement the vision.

The proposals include increasing the number of double taxation agreements, centralising government services possibly at St Luke’s Hospital, reducing bureaucracy in government departments by introducing customer contact facilities, and including Sharia law and financial training in the law degree.

Others include supporting the made-in-Malta brand, setting up of a cleaning force to maintain all tourism zones, introducing 24-hour tourist call centres and promoting distance e-learning.

The MŻPN report, presented to Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi yesterday, criticised the report recently produced by American company Angelou Economics (AE) for failing to look at the bigger picture to achieving Vision 2015.

“Since the AE report mainly deals with sectors of economic activity – in plain-speak, careers – any choice made by the government should likewise address the impact on the happiness index,” MŻPN said.

The Texas-based consultancy company had launched its report in March after the government appointed it to perform a thorough analysis of the economy and come up with a blueprint of actions to implement the vision.