Digital Economy Minister Manuel Mallia in an indirect reference to the Panama Papers controversy, said this evening that people who continue to stress the issue “on every occasion” were doing as much damage as the event they are referring to.  

Dr Mallia said scrutiny and constructive criticism were positive, but mentioning the same things “over and over again” only served to harm the financial services industry.

Addressing a public consultation meeting, Dr Mallia said the government is to move ahead with plans to set up an agency regulating estate agents. The agency would ensure that estate agents are qualified and licensed. 

The purpose is to ensure certain standards and professionalism within the industry, as well as safeguarding consumer’s rights, Dr Mallia said. 

The authority would be tasked with administering the licensing regime, keeping a register of the licensees, prescribing training courses, developing rules of practice, setting fees, developing consumer information, setting professional standards for estate agents and investigating reports of offences.  

On the igaming sector, Dr Mallia emphasised the need to ensure that Maltese youths are equipped with the necessary skills to enter an industry which currently employs 5,000 people.

He said the industry brought about a direct contribution of €640 million to the economy last year. 

He announced that the government’s technology arm Mita has signed a €12 million five-year deal with Microsoft for the provision of its products to the government.

Dr Mallia said that three-fourths of the Labour Party’s election manifesto had already been implimented. 

He said the government will continue workings towards its plan to make Malta and Gozo the first wifi-states with total wifi coverage.