Sticking to facts

How many times have we heard Bernard Grech and other PN exponents say that “young people are leaving our country in droves”? It was about time to put a stop to this blatant misinformation once and for all.

So a number of people, including myself, asked the Times of Malta to carry out a fact-check about the number of Maltese citizens, especially young people, leaving the island. And how many were returning to Malta from abroad.

Over the last few years, more young people have returned to Malta than left. Photo: Chris Sant FournierOver the last few years, more young people have returned to Malta than left. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

On January 16, the Times published the result of its fact-check. While between the years 2006 and 2017 more people had left Malta than returned – in 2006 alone, under Gonzi PN, while 2,500 Maltese had left Malta, only 1,000 had returned. The trend of more Maltese leaving than returning continued, albeit to a lower extent, up to 2017. But in 2018 the trend was reversed.

Since then, while some 14,000 Maltese have returned to Malta, and only 8,300 have left. During 2023, which is the last year for which data is available, 500 more Maltese citizens have returned than left.

As regards people between the ages of 15 and 29, the same has happened. Throughout 2022 and 2023, 400 more young people have returned than left the island.

What amazes me is that this blatant misinformation by the PN is even done on matters that can easily be checked by referring to the National Statistics Office. 

But for Grech and his cronies at Dar Ċentrali, they believe that there are so many thousands who do not read the Times of Malta or any other newspaper, that they can dupe some more voters, especially young ones. 

I cannot end this letter without referring to the stomach-wrenching, unbelievable admission made publicly by former PN deputy leader David Agius, in reply to a journalist’s question. The journalist asked Agius for his reaction regarding a caller on Net TV/radio, suggesting that the PN should resort to “creating traffic jams, as we had once done in Marsa, which was a success” 

While Michael Piccinino, the PN’s general secretary ad-interim, thanked the caller for his suggestion, Agius unashamedly admitted to the journalist that he had done this in the past.

Am I right or wrong when I write that the PN wants to “usurp power at all cost”?

Eddy Privitera – Naxxar

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.