Yes, government is delivering

Some claim that Malta is slowly but steadily progressing in the right direction, others believe it is rapidly regressing. So what is really happening? Is this government delivering or not?

It is not, according to Alfred Sant. On April 20, he wrote: "One reason why the Gonzi administration is not delivering is because it is not focusing." He added that there are too many avowed priorities and suggested: "It would have been much better had the government set down a few clear targets, prioritised them, and then set about accomplishing them at all costs".

That is exactly what the Gonzi administration is doing! I beg to differ most emphatically with Dr Sant's misleading statement. It was, as usual, very unfair of him. Not only is the one-year-old Gonzi administration delivering but it is also coping well with its many avowed priorities and dead set on "accomplishing them at all costs".

It is obvious to all, except, of course, to the Leader of the Opposition, that the Gonzi administration has clearly targeted the economy, employment, education and the environment as its major priorities. These main objectives are being attacked on all fronts and encouraging results are steadily and surely surfacing.

How can Dr Sant keep a straight face and insinuate that the government is ignoring the economy or that employment has taken a back seat? It would be enlightening to learn which of the targets chosen would not be a priority under a Sant administration. Obviously Dr Sant, in his rhetorical writings, seems oblivious to the meaning of the phrase "constructive criticism" leaving the reader with much to be desired.

In its first year, the Gonzi administration had the guts to introduce several "unpopular" reforms to stop the unwarranted haemorrhage and to embark upon a blitz to clamp down on abusers. Over Lm19 million per annum have been rescued from needlessly disappearing down the drain. Furthermore, the recent redeployment of workers in the public sector has severed 546 salaries from our national outflow.

What results did the Sant administration achieve? It registered an abnormal growth of the national deficit, reaching the Lm150 million mark and an increase in unemployment totalling 1,200.

Heading in the right direction, the Gonzi administration has brought down the deficit from those dizzy heights to Lm94 million (5.4 per cent of our GDP). Quite a handsome accomplishment I would say. By the end of the year, the government is aiming to slash the deficit further to Lm76 million (3.7 per cent of our GDP) - the lowest level ever reached during these last 10 years. An excellent prospect!

In real terms, in 2004, our economic growth registered a 1.5 per cent increase. While jobs in construction, retail outlets and services are on the rise, unemployment is progressively decreasing, the last published statistic by 778.

The future started to look even brighter as soon as Malta Enterprise gave the go-ahead to some 80 new projects with a 27 per cent increase in investment amounting to Lm141 million. It is anticipated that within three years some 1,500 new jobs will be up for grabs on the market. Another striking achievement!

Positive indications show that business is increasingly picking up: 2,479 new registered companies last year and 556 this year and 4,394 new VAT registrations. Statistics do not lie and, although they bore me to tears, I am further encouraged by the fact that, while the Malta Financial Services Authority has issued 46 new licences related to operations in investment, finance and insurance services, it is also, at present, processing 16 new licences for remote gaming operations.

In fact, jobs in the finance sector have increased by 5,500. In 2004, the value in stock market dealings increased by 26 per cent, reaching the Lm94 million level.

What did a Sant administration accomplish? Apart from the upsurge in the deficit and unemployment, profit makers increased by only 81 as opposed to the 440 increase under the Gonzi administration.

Likewise, the self-employed plummeted by 463 as opposed to the 300 increase recently registered, new retail outlet licences totalled 418 as opposed to the 795 licences issued last year, workers in the construction business decreased by 510 as opposed to last year's 204 increase and foreign investment fell drastically as opposed to the Lm141 escalation under the Gonzi administration.

Contrary to allegations made, an overview of the one-year-old Gonzi administration's performance reveals how the government has been shrinking the deficit and generating new energy to revive our weakened economy. The results achieved so far cannot but help instil optimism, no matter what anybody says or writes.

I shudder to think where we would be today had this government not clearly identified its targets, not prioritised them and not moved heaven and earth to accomplish them at all costs - yes, even at the cost of losing the electorate's precious votes! Can the same be said for a Sant administration?