Economic Services Ministers Chris Cardona said today that one of the reasons why he had dissolved a technical committee considering the granting of new casino licences was after he found that one of its members or his company had provided consultancy services to one of the bidders.

Speaking in Parliament during the Budget debate, Dr Cardona said this was only one of the reasons which led him to take the decision. There were other reasons as well.

He decision, he observed, was taken after the court ruled that there were no grounds to stop the process for the granting of the licences. The government, he said, had confidence in the courts.

Dr Cardona made his comments after Nationalist Party economic affairs spokesman Mario de Marco earlier asked who had conflict of interest and who had appointed the technical committee in the first place.

(See more at http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20141118/local/-Minister-ordered-casino-committee-to-be-dissolved-.544546 )

In his address Dr Cardona went over the activities of his ministry and said the Budget was giving incentives to encourage business.

He said it was the Central Bank itself which had said that it expects export performance to grow next year, not least because of the reduction in power tariffs. In the past, the Chamber of Commerce had repeatedly called on the government to cut energy rates to boost industry, but its calls were rebuffed.

But the present government was also taking other measures to improve competitiveness including the removal of the eco-tax and the setting up of facilities and services under one roof to cut red tape.

He observed that the Maltese economy was one of the best performing in the EU, with growth in real terms of 3.2 per cent and with wages growing by 5.6 per cent. Company profits were up 1.7 per cent.

Under this government, 6,000 new jobs had been created in a year, or 17 per day. 4,000 of the new jobs were created in the private sector. Meanwhile unemployment was down to 5.8%, its lowest for many years. The deficit was also under control and being reined in.

When he spoke on other sectors, Dr Cardona said plans for the new Crafts Village in Ta’ Qali were being fine-tuned and an application was being made for ERDF funds, after which the works would be taken in hand immediately

He said the possibility of a fibre-optic link between Malta and Gozo was being considered as a way to facilitate investment in Gozo.

Much progress was being made in the building of the Life Sciences Park and talks were being held with potential investors. Finishing works were being made on the digital creativity hub.