Malta had prevailed through the global recession despite many thinking that it was trying "to square a circle", Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said yesterday.

Speaking at a reception for journalists and ambassadors, Dr Gonzi said although the economic downturn was a "difficult and torturous path", jobs were created, working conditions were improved and investment increased.

The Prime Minister said enormous challenges lay ahead this year - citing the healthcare and Malta Environment and Planning Authority reforms as examples - but he emphasised that his party had never been afraid of change.

Referring to the devastating earthquake in Haiti, Dr Gonzi also reminded everyone that while some were busy celebrating the new year and thinking of the challenges ahead, others were suffering thousands of miles away.

The Prime Minister said the statistics of the deaths should jolt everybody into realising the extent of the "human tragedy". He urged the Maltese public to show solidarity with the victims and to make donations.

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.