People want the government to move “at a quicker pace” towards an economic model that improves their quality of life and away from one focused just on economic growth, Prime Minister Robert Abela admitted on Thursday.

Abela was speaking at the closing of the presentation of the fourth annual State of the Nation survey, an annual study that takes stock of the public’s beliefs on various topics, from the economy to religion, politics and culture.

While praising Malta’s “unprecedented” economic growth (“we don’t even remember what it means to have economic growth under 3%, like that of other EU countries,” he said), Abela acknowledged that Malta’s economic growth had introduced new challenges, particularly in terms of pressure on Malta’s infrastructure and demographics, that need to be prioritised.

But he hit back at claims that Malta’s economic model depends on constant population growth, describing this analysis as “mistaken”.

“In reality, it’s the economy that has brought people over, not the other way around.”

He also argued that migrant workers don’t only bring about challenges but also “skills and cultures from which we can benefit”.

“But we need to analyse how these workers are meeting our needs as a nation, all the while analysing the skills of Maltese workers.”

Government will focus on ‘new economic niches with lower impact’

Abela pledged to look towards strengthening economic areas that “least impact our country’s infrastructure”, going on to list several possible niches, from robotics to artificial intelligence, digital economy, financial services and gaming.

But, he warned, this doesn’t mean that the government will ignore the core industries that brought about Malta’s economic growth in the first place, including tourism, construction and maritime industries.

“Our biggest mistake would be to ignore the feedback of credit rating agencies who praise our economy’s diversification,” he said.

Look at the economy ‘through a different lens’: Claudette Buttigieg

The conference was also addressed by PN MP Claudette Buttigieg, speaking on behalf of Opposition leader Bernard Grech.

Buttigieg said that last week’s election result sent “a strong message” about several issues, including the fact that “we need to look at Malta’s economic model through a different lens”.

“This is an issue that PN has long been saying, one that needs attention,” she said.

2. Opposition MP Claudette Buttigieg addressing conference delegates. Photo: Karl Andrew Micallef

Buttigieg also pointed to the news that Malta, along several other member states, will be facing the European Commission’s excessive deficit procedures.

“High spending during the pandemic was justified, as that was a time when the country needed expenditure to be brought back on its feet,” she said.

“But we have to condemn the many millions thrown away, even through corruption, that could have been spent on valuable social projects.”

Buttigieg said this blow comes just a few short years after Malta’s FATF greylisting.

“Now instead of talking about our way forward in terms of the environment or social measures, we will instead be talking about the roadmap to get out of excessive deficit procedures.”

Myriam Spiteri Debono: will the Maltese do the jobs that foreign workers do?

Closing the conference, President Myriam Spiteri Debono expressed her concern at the survey’s findings that interest in politics appears to be on the decline, particularly among youths.

“We have reduced the voting age, but why have we still not managed to reach youths?” she asked.

“Is there enough synergy between politics and citizens? Are we truly prepared to give everyone a voice, even if it requires changes to the highest law of the land?”

Spiteri Debono also expressed her dismay at the survey’s findings about multiculturalism and foreign workers.

“Maybe we should ask the Maltese who don’t want foreign workers point-blank whether they are ready to carry out the work they do,” she said.

“They feel that some work is below them but they expect these jobs to still be done,” she insisted.