Malta is at the crossroads. A few days away from a general election, a good number of readers may have made up their minds on how they will cast their vote. Yet, all opinion polls are showing that a significant number of voters are still undecided.

Going to the polls with a clear picture in mind is, I believe, a prerequisite for all citizens. I note, with satisfaction that the makeshift coalition of the PN and PD has finally decided to publish its electoral manifesto.

When comparing and contrasting the two manifestos, one can clearly visualise the difference in farsightedness between the two sides. On the one hand, we have an Opposition party that after four years of ‘preparation’ still found itself scrambling to cobble together an electoral manifesto without any semblance of coherence.

On the other hand, the Labour Party has put forward a series of proposals that are offering a vibrant and unique vision of the kind of country we believe that each one of us deserves to live in.

One of the biggest sectors where we can see the difference between the two points of view is the approach to all things digital.  Although the digital economy has not as yet become as substantial and significant a part of the national conscience as it could be, it has become ubiquitous.

Therefore, should we once again be entrusted with the nation’s trust, we have to tackle this issue not only on the sectorial level, but more importantly, on the horizontal level, even more extensively than we have been doing.

One only needs to look at our achievements on the Digital Single Market during our presidency, to get a feel of how we intend to continue tackling such issues in the forthcoming legislature.

No matter what kind of decisions are taken, there is one overriding principle that trumps them all, namely, your personal well-being

The work that the Maltese presidency and my ministry did on the wholesale roaming file, encapsulates the ethos of the Muscat administration. In what many in the industry and Europe believe to be one of the most important legislative dossier to be concluded in the telecommunications and digital industries over the past years, we sought to strike the proper balance between the needs of the industry, investment, and most of all, the well-being of our consumers.

We took a proactive approach, and listened attentively to all parties involved, before drawing our conclusions.  Despite Malta’s size, we were not afraid to take decisions, which at times were much debated and controversial. With the benefit of hindsight, they proved to be the right ones.

The result is that come June 15, all Maltese and European Union citizens will be able to ‘roam like at home’ throughout Europe without having to worry about incurring exorbitant amounts of extraneous charges on their mobile phones’ bills.

The way that Muscat and the Labour Party are pushing this country forward is very similar to this course of action.  As legislators, the people entrusted with your well-being, we understand that sometimes we must make difficult decisions. We also are fully aware that sometimes these decisions may not be the best ones.

However, with the Labour Party in government, you will always have peace of mind, knowing that no matter what kind of decisions are taken, there is one overriding principle that trumps them all, namely, your personal well-being.

From the end of roaming charges decision, to the flourishing gaming industry, and the revitalised maritime sector, we can see that the current government has always put people’s interest at the heart of any of its policies and achievements. If given a new mandate, the next Labour government will be no different.

You will see each and every one of us continue working in order to better your lives each and every day, by creating new jobs and opportunities, better infrastructure and more safety nets for those people who for some reason or another would otherwise fall by the wayside.

Come June 3, the electorate has a simple choice. Does it want to continue moving forward in creating a more prosperous Malta for all, or do we reverse all the hard-earned gains that we managed to secure for all of us over the last four years?

Manuel Mallia is Minister for Competitiveness and Digital, Maritime and Services Economy.

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