Abela 'open' to discussion on expanding remote working

Robert Abela said on Sunday that he is willing to continue pushing forward discussions on expanding remote working, but he warned that this must not come at the cost of productivity.

Speaking during a discussion with Labour’s youth wing, Abela said remote working offered benefits to both employers and employees when properly structured, and can actually help boost productivity.

But while it could be permitted for certain jobs, it was important to not experiment with work practices that destroyed productivity.

The prime minister said job creation was at the cornerstone of Labour’s success in government.

The creation of quality jobs and financial stability were essential, he said. The fact that Malta’s economy had consistently been among the strongest in the EU meant the government could easily have struck to the same formula. Instead, higher and more ambitious targets had been set that, once reached, would see people's quality of life take another leap forward.

Mental health

Abela once again identified the building of a new mental health hospital and expanded emergency department as a government priority.

The project has faced significant delays after the original tender was cancelled last year.

Abela said bids for the new tender are set to be adjudicated in the coming weeks. The project would see mental health care being integrated into Mater Dei Hospital, rather than at a separate hospital as is presently the case at Mount Carmel.

Abela said this integration will help break the stigma of mental healthcare.

He vowed that once the tender for the project has been adjudicated, “all the necessary pressure” would be applied for works to begin immediately.

The prime minister's meeting with young people on Sunday. (PL photo)

Tourism

Abela described planned direct flights from the United States to Malta as a gamechanger for the tourism sector.

He said the direct flights would help attract more quality tourists to Malta.

Delta Airlines is set to start operating three weekly flights in June.

Abela said bed nights and spending by tourists were already on the increase, and shoulder months had become a thing of the past.

The government was continuing to push for a new conference centre that would allow large events to be hosted in one venue.

Vision 2050

Abela announced the government would be launching its Malta Vision 2050 document on Friday. 

The launch is set to coincide with an immersive experience about the vision near the Triton Fountain in Valletta. 

A public consultation on the policy document, unveiled last year, envisions that Malta will slow down its construction sector and focus on financial services, high-end manufacturing and aviation over the next 25 years.

The vision pledges to deliver a “healthy quality of life for all,” saying it will shift the country’s economy to focus on seven economic sectors which will grow by 140% over the next decade.