The fact that the government has not had to impose any far-reaching austerity measures to keep debt in check and the fact that unemployment remains one of the lowest in the European Union are proof that the policies employed by the government and the hard decisions taken in more prosperous times are now serving us in good stead as the news from our neighbours grows grimmer still.

It is easy to preach change but it is incorrect to hide the consequences of that change- David Casa

While most EU countries post growing government debts, we have managed not to follow the trend.

Results like these do not come accidentally. In order to achieve such results, sound economic governance is the chief factor and, in terms of fiscal responsibility and transparency, we are front runners. There was a time when many of us might have thought that the practices employed by the government were somewhat excessive but time has proved the government right.

Financial and economic markets can only be predicted up to a certain extent. As a result, we must be continuously on the lookout for any eventuality and prepared when things take a turn for the worse. Unfortunately, not all EU governments held this outlook and the results, I need hardly say, were catastrophic.

In a climate of such uncertainty, it is therefore more than encouraging to see that not only have we managed to keep government debt in check but we have actually managed to reduce it.

These are indeed encouraging results. These are results that make us look to the future with optimism and with the hope that when this financial turmoil blows over we will be in pole position to attract even more investment than we are doing now. We already have a sound reputation as a well-governed economy and this will only grow stronger if we continue to navigate the unfavourable climate with responsible decisions.

One cannot comment about financial and economic stability without mentioning employment. When we compare the disturbing figures of unemployment from across most of Europe to the situation in Malta, the difference cannot be starker.

The heavy investment in education that this Administration made throughout the years is paying off and our labour market continues to make room for both those with and without high-level qualifications.

Furthermore, the government is in a position to encourage lifelong learning so that those who are gainfully employed can better their prospects and seek higher-added value employment.

Some commentators have recently suggested in the press that high employment rates are not tied to the country’s stability, brushing off its importance as an indicator of economic success. I cannot disagree more.

A gainfully employed society is the cornerstone of a sound social system and economic success is only the means towards reaching this outcome.

These are testing times and we cannot predict the future. However, having a well thought-out road map with the citizens’ needs at the centre is very important. This is what this Administration has in mind.

We may have experienced price hikes in various sectors, including the utilities, but even these remain subject to the financial means of consumers.

We have to keep pushing forward to improve our standards but we cannot do so without taking responsible decisions. It is easy to preach change but it is incorrect to hide the consequences of that change. This government, through dialogue and in respecting the maturity of the Maltese electorate, has always opened its books to public scrutiny. Others, however, with the intention of garnering a few votes, only show one side of the picture.

We stand where we are today because we have leaders who know what decisions to take. We have leaders that know what’s best for the country and any change in the country’s leadership would only be a setback at this point in time.

On a completely different note, I would like to congratulate Mgr Prospero Grech on his nomination as cardinal and wish a happy feast to all – especially Valletta residents – on the occasion of St Paul’s Shipwreck.

Mr Casa is a Nationalist member of the European Parliament.