Investing in a healthier society through work is a very apt slogan chosen by the Nationalist Administration for the Budget for the upcoming year. The Minister of Finance has, once again, presented an ambitious Budget that clearly indicates the path our country is about to take in the coming years. Thanks to good governance, we are now able to make another step forward towards a better way of life. Compared to the austerity measures our European counterparts are obliged to take, this is surely a certificate of competence for Lawrence Gonzi and his team.
Notwithstanding the harsh financial and economic climate hanging over Europe, we have managed to increase the allocations in practically all sectors. This Budget has clearly indicated what the priorities of this Administration are: Investment in our workers to help promote diversity and to give an opportunity to those on the lower rungs of the ladder to make a leap upwards by training them and giving them the necessary incentive to ameliorate their working status. Small and medium enterprises are the backbone of our economy and these too will benefit not only from tax rebates but from allocations to help them invest more in their operations. The same goes to women in the labour world who will now pay less and work according to their needs.
Nationalist administrations have always given great importance to the education sector. One only has to look at the number of students attending the university prior to 1987 and the number of students undergoing tertiary training now. A record €330 million have been allocated to build new schools and renovate existing ones, open new childcare centres, give more scholarships and invest in state-of-the-art centres for emerging faculties such as ICT. Those who send their children to private schools will also be given further aid to help ease their burden.
Every modern country has to have an efficient health system in order to be able to operate properly. With this in mind, the government has pledged to extend the Pharmacy of Your Choice scheme while investing in building a hospital that specialises in cancer and refurbishing many of the existing medical centres we have around the island. With an ever aging population we will also see a huge investment in facilities directly aimed at the elderly such as an extension to Zammit Clapp Hospital, which will now accommodate 100 persons, and the opening of a night shelter specifically designed for elderly persons in Mellieħa. This goes hand in hand with the increase in social assistance and adjustments in the means test so that the increase for the cost of living will not affect other social benefits.
Over the last years, we have become more conscious of the importance of living in a healthier and cleaner environment and, once again, this government has put words into action by taking the necessary measures to reduce emissions and give more incentives to the public to start using alternative energy sources. Farmers will also receive other incentives to help them remain viable. Further to this, the electricity infrastructure will also benefit from an investment of €75 million over three years.
Gozo has always been high on the agenda of Nationalist governments and this Budget will help put it on the map with an ambitious marketing and embellishment project that will give a deserved facelift to this beautiful island. Adding to this and in order to increase sport facilities in our country, Gozo and sport in general will benefit from the construction of an indoor swimming pool, which, alongside the building of a football pitch and a waterpolo pitch in Birżebbuġa will be the main infrastructural work for the benefit of the sporting community.
This Budget will also cut the country’s deficit considerably and will aim to make the public sector more efficient. The tasks ahead may sometimes look daunting but this is a government that knows exactly what the priorities of this country are. There have been times when certain measures may have hit the citizen hard but, in the long run, the whole country is in a better situation than it would have been had we not taken certain drastic steps.
Incidentally, this week also marks the 30th anniversary of George Borg Olivier’s death. Dr Borg Olivier’s vision was not only to make Malta independent but to make it one of the best countries in Europe. His work and that of the Nationalist Prime Ministers that came after him is now reaping its fruit and we can rightly say that Malta is one of the best places where to live in Europe.
The author is a Nationalist member of the European Parliament.