Predicting a tough 2013 for the EU economy, Lino Spiteri (The Times Business, December 27), urges us to do our utmost to keep the Maltese economy as resilient as in 2012. “Every effort must be made to exploit every possible advantage”. There are quite a few reasons for Malta’s resilience in the face of the most deep and lasting recession for 80 years. But surely one of Malta’s pre-eminent assets is the Prime Minister.

Lawrence Gonzi, with his high grade intellect, his vision, his calm and patience, his power to focus on challenges, problems and obstacles and finding the right solutions, his knack for sensing opportunities where others see threats, his courage in taking tough unpopular but crucial decisions, his staying powers, his capacity for hard work is responsible for seeing us through “in the context of bleak circumstances”. Results speak for themselves. Malta is being compared with Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and Luxembourg for its economic performance.

So isn’t Gonzi the prime asset or, if you like, an advantage to preserve or “exploit”? If we want to prosper, all those with a mind of their own should strive in the next few weeks to return Gonzi for another five-year term.

They should make the coming campaign a people’s campaign. They have to make up for those who vote with their heart rather than with their mind, for the egoists who vote or withhold their vote according to their narrow interests, convincing those who cannot understand the issues at stake. Our standard of living and Malta’s immediate future are at stake.