Apparently the Prime Minister is in favour of “manufacturing industries”. No indication seems to have been given about whether these industries are going to arrive from abroad or whether they will be generated locally.

As we’ve seen from the past, foreign manufacturing industries have been very successful here and made a lot of money and created jobs; some of them are still here and Malta seems to be dependent on them.

Maybe there are successful local manufacturing industries here too but they don’t seem to have a very high profile, I suspect this is because of extremely jealous destructive attitudes, people seem to hate anyone who is successful, they have to be ‘put down’. The wise industrialist has to keep his/her head down well below the parapet. The ‘tall poppy syndrome’ flourishes in Malta.

There are two more things that seem to militate against local manufacturers. A very low national self-esteem (anything made locally can’t be any good), hence the alarming influx of usually sub-standard goods from abroad. These flood the country, making it impossible for young emerging manufacturers to get a foothold in the marketplace.

It also seems that there are certain flaws in the education system, which encourages conformity and is actively against thinking and ideas, almost a relic from colonial times.

Another thing which might also be a throwback to colonial times is a certain disdain for working with ones’ hands. It is smarter and more upwardly mobile to work in an office. Getting ones’ hands dirty is only for the lower classes.

This is really sad because people here enjoy making things, but ‘it’s only a hobby’ not to be taken seriously, never a career.