Economic indicators all showed that under a Labour government the country's lot had changed dramatically, Finance Minister Edward Scicluna said this evening. 

Prof. Scicluna told parliament that government debt had fallen to 63.8 per cent in 2015, from 67.5 per cent in 2015. Similarly, deficit as a percentage of the GDP had dipped from 3.6 per cent in 2012 to 1.4 per cent in 2015.

The number of workers had increased from 153,000 in 2012 to 177,751 last April and unemployment was down from 6,839 in 2012 to 3,751 in April of this year. Tourist arrivals had risen to 1.8 million in 2015 from 1.4 million in 2012, the minister added.

He argued that in its pre-budget report, the Opposition had admitted that between 2008 and 2012, the number of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion had steadily risen to 99,000 persons. 

The Finance Minister trumpeted credit rating agency reports, noting that Fitch, Moody’s and Standard & Poor's had all given Malta positive certificates in recent months.

He said that the government's continuous efforts to develop the economy, create work and increase wealth had allowed the Maltese people to enjoy better living standards.