A common feature in the campaigns being run by all Maltese parties taking part in the European Parliament elections is the importance they are attaching to representing Malta effectively in the EU fora. This is very laudable – and is what triggered the title of this week’s contribution.

However, what sealed the issue is a billboard I saw while driving, promoting the 90-year anniversary of Cisk, the household name of Maltese beer. One cannot but commend the far-sightedness of those people who created this product – a Maltese product – and the way the Farsons Group developed over the decades. This is something that truly depicts the spirit of Malta.

On the other hand we would be doing an injustice if when we stop at Cisk to depict the spirit of our economy. We must remember so many persons and organisations that have over the last two centuries developed activities that lay the foundations for Malta’s economic development and that have given a practical sense to the concept of added Maltese value.

This year also marks the hundred years of Marsovin. Equally Delicata and Magro Group celebrate their 113th year in 2019. We can even think of organisations that were set up not so long ago and who also carry the spirit of Malta such as Foster Clark, Consolidated Biscuits, Corinthia Group, Gasan Group, Tumas Group and others.

Again going back several decades or even a century or more, one can mention the number of insurance agencies set up then and which today are thriving insurance companies in their own right. We could also mention the precursors of Bank of Valletta, the National Bank of Malta, Scicluna’s Bank and Tagliaferro Bank. Likewise, there is APS Bank, set up 109 years ago this week.

The investment in tourism businesses is essentially nearly all Maltese and in fact some hotels have been around since the 1950s and 1960s. Tour operators today were once simply agents who had decided to risk further and set up organisations that helped to develop the tourist sector to what it is today. Others developed entertainment places that support the tourism sector. 

We have also had innovative people. Today we take English language schools for granted. We forget or may be even unaware that this activity was first developed by university students more than 50 years ago through NSTS. Innovation has also featured in businesses set up in the last years, such as RS2, Loqus, Altaro and Icon.

Then there were also foreign investors who decided to make Malta their home and their base such as Toly or the predecessor of Methode, which used to be called Merit. Some companies, especially in the manufacturing sector, have been in Malta for so long that they are now an intrinsic part of our economic fabric, such as Playmobil, De la Rue, Prominent, Trelleborg and ST Microelectronics. In some way or other, even though these companies are foreign owned, they all represent what Malta stands for.

There were companies who no longer exist today. They also represent an important part of our country’s economic development.

I admit I must be leaving some notable names out and for this I apologise. However, we need to appreciate that these and other organisations have all made a significant contribution to our economy. Someone may ask me, what is my point?

My point is very simple. I accept that for our economy to thrive it needs foreign investment. However it also needs local investment. It needs Maltese entrepreneurs with foresight who deliver value added to our economy and contribute to our prosperity. That is what the spirit of Malta is all about. Therefore we need to foster an environment where such entrepreneurship can flourish.