‘It is our duty to improve quality of life and strive for a better future’ – Bernard Grech

Opposition Leader Bernard Grech believes that it is “our duty to improve quality of life and succeed together to create a better future.”

Speaking during a press conference on Wednesday, Nationalist Party officials focused on the 12 pillars of the party’s vision for the future, aimed at improving the economy in the country.

PN Leader Bernard Grech said that “we have a duty to improve and succeed together for a better future in order to make the country better.”

Grech stressed that through this “vision, the party, together with youths, wants to improve society with the aim of building on youth activism.”

He spoke about Gozo and stressed that the island was, is and will remain in the heart and mind of the Nationalist Party.

Grech insisted by saying that the PN is committed to striving for the promotion of Gozitan workers as well as students by safeguarding the Gozitan environment and its cultural heritage.

PN Members Jerome Caruana Cilia, Alessia Psaila Zammit, Mark Anthony Sammut and Nationalist Party Leader Bernard Grech were present for the conference.

Caruana Cilia spoke about five pillars which are related to the introduction of a living wage in Malta, to human talent that fits in with the environment, to the quality of life and young people, to social development with the aim of eliminating the need for social housing, and to job opportunities in Gozo for Gozitan residents.

The Nationalist party aims to build an economy “based on fair values and one that works on addressing the growing problem of poverty.”

He added that the Nationalist party is determined to listen to Gozitans and build a strategic and holistic plan in order to improve sectors in Gozo, such as the agricultural sector.

Psaila Zammit spoke about the changes with regards to the gender gap in the country, even on a political level.

When it comes to roles in politics, all over the world, “one can see that there is a big difference between the genders, as more men are seen working in this particular field.”

She said that there are several obstacles when it comes to gender equality in Malta. Therefore, “we must work on increasing the number of women working in certain sectors.”

“There should be more effort and energy put in the process of moving forward and leading women to work in sectors that are usually male driven,” she said.

She called on both Bernard Grech as the PN Leader, as well as the Labour party to continue working towards this common effort.

Another area which is of importance for this country is farming, she said.

Psaila Zammit explained that “many people in this sector experience great difficulty and major challenges, such as those relating to access to funds.” If we continue to lose our farmers and do not pay enough attention to them, we will also experience a cultural deficit.”

Mark Anthony Sammut spoke about the environment being a main pillar for the Nationalist party.

He stated that the party is determined to protect the open spaces in the country.

Sammut added that the urban environment must be protected to change the quality of tourism in the country. “We must also ensure to protection of endemic species.”

“We want to see greener buildings, cleaner politics as well as total transparency. We want a clean Malta in all sectors,” he said.

Two other important pillars relate to “living in a safer country and being proud of our identity. The latter includes our language, culture, historical heritage as well as values which make us who we are today.”

“We do not want to live in a country where criminals are free to live as if nothing has happened and are able to remain politicians,” he said.