Facts and only facts matter

The highest growth in economic and social development, together with the country’s steadily increasing prosperity, are constant and essential guarantees for opportunities where everyone can progress and prosper.

The second happiest in the EU

As if this needed to be confirmed, this week Eurostat announced that self-employed people in Malta and Gozo are the second happiest economic operators amongst their European counterparts, second only to none other than Sweden. Such a strong statement totally disproves all the cheap and unfounded accusations of a Mafia state that has become so nauseating among the few who should know better.

Facts speak louder than cheap words. Allegations are also cheap, indeed very cheap, and repeatedly stitching them into common jargon will always be far removed from hard evidence – which is the solid criteria that diligent international authorities and investors seek to investigate and rely upon. Experience shows that, for serious observers, no amount of suspicion can result in one single proof.

Gozo is net contributor

The latest statistics also show that the net contribution of the Gozo and Comino region to the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at market prices accounted for 4.2 per cent – or €473.4 million. In the Gozo and Comino region, almost all industries registered increases in Gross Value Added (GVA) compared to the previous year. Official data shows that, in 2017, the GVA at basic prices in the regions of Malta, and of Gozo and Comino, was estimated at €9,553.4 and €418.5 million respectively, reflecting a corresponding increase of nine and 10.9 per cent over 2016.

In 2017, the industries in the Gozo region, comprised of the public administration, compulsory social security, education, health and social work activities, accounted for the highest share at 25.1 per cent of the total GVA. Compared to the previous year, these industries registered an increase of 7.8 per cent. Other types of industrial activity, including transportation, accommodation and food service, accounted for the sec- ond highest share of the GVA at 24.3 per cent and registered a growth of 8.5 per cent over 2016.

The per capita GDP at market prices for the Gozo and Comino region was of 60.9 per cent. The per capita regional GDP does not reflect the income available to the private households of each respective region, but strictly relates to the economic activity prevailing in each of the regions. The latest data goes on to show that all industries in Gozo registered increases in employment during 2017. The largest increases were in economic activities relating to professional, scientific and technical, administrative and support services and information and communication technologies, in which growth rates were 29.5 and 24.7 per cent respectively.

Such scientific data is further proof of the feel-good factor prevailing across both islands. The best times in which we are living are not only a reality that no one can deny but, if well sustained, can be a healthy assurance of even better times for future generations. Labour is indeed delivering, as opposed to the gloomy and dismal pre2013 forecast that it wouldn’t work. Gone are the days when Gozo used to rely on left-overs from the national economy, as it has now tangibly grown into a net contributor to the national wealth.

Gozo’s Medical School

The Barts Anatomy Centre on Queen Mary’s campus at the Gozo Hospital was officially inaugurated this week, marking a significant milestone in plans to improve the educational and health care offered in Gozo. It was an honour for me to attend the inauguration by Prime Minister Dr Joseph Muscat, together with Steward Health Care International President Dr Armin Ernst and Professor Steve Thornton from Queen Mary University of London, along with Professor Anthony Warrens, Dean for Education at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry.

As Prof. Warrens said, we are all delighted to see the new state-of-the-art Anatomy Centre in Gozo with facilities combined with a high-quality education programme that will give our students the very best start to their medical careers and help train the next generation of doctors.

Steward Health Care Malta has invested €1.8 million in the Centre, which includes a dedicated area for teaching anatomy through dissection, and will be equipped with facilities for clinical imaging and videos of specialised surgical procedures. Steward and Barts will now focus on their plans to deliver high quality health care to the people of Gozo, with work on the main building progressing on schedule.

As Prime Minister Joseph Muscat commented, the investment by Steward Health Care in this Anatomy Centre is a real statement of intent. Our health care partners are showing that they mean business and that they are set to deliver decisively on making Malta and Gozo among the best globally in medical education and health care services. It all adds up to the importance that Labour is giving to Gozo in its quest to further strengthen and modernise the country’s economic and social development.

The Gozo Museum

Together with all the many infrastructural work around the island, the ongoing work at the Gozo Museum is moving at a fast pace. All the tenders have now been processed, which will enable work to move on to the construction and finishing phase. The disused Boys’ Lyceum school in Victoria is being converted into a museum and cultural centre for Gozo. In September, the Ninu Cremona monument, which is located close to the site of the museum, was moved to a temporary site to protect it from any possible damage.

The Gozo Museum will bring together various historical collections that are currently in smaller museums in the Cittadella. These collections will include artefacts from the field of natural history, archaeology, folklore, art and ethnography. Visual arts will also be introduced into the new museum, with more space for temporary exhibitions.

The process includes the restoration of the 1950s modern architectural building which was designed by architect Joseph G. Huntingford. During his 10 years in Gozo, the renowned architect – who is considered one of the pioneers of modernist architecture in Malta – designed 12 schools and several industrial buildings.