Gozo Minister launches the first ever Gozo Expo and the Gozo Business Awards 2019

Imagine some of Gozo’s greatest business minds and industrious entrepreneurs coming together to reshape the future. Well, in Gozo they are just doing that on Friday, 30 May and Saturday, 1 June at the Grand Hotel, Mġarr, Gozo, for the first ever Gozo Expo and Gozo Business Awards, organised by MBR Publications Ltd, and supported and sponsored by the Ministry for Gozo and the Gozo Business Chamber.

At the press conference to launch the events, held at the same venue, Minister for Gozo, Dr Justyne Caruana, welcomed a packed audience and said: “This is Gozo’s first trade fair whereby these two combined business events come under the Ministry’s Gozo strategy for further business development, trade expansion and investment. It will culminate in a unique event to celebrate Gozitan entrepreneurial achievements and bringing together more than 300 of the Island’s top business leaders, executives, advisors and investors who are leaders in innovation and masters of business transformation.

“The theme chosen by the organisers, MBR Publications Ltd, focuses on ‘Opportunity, Mobility & Sustainability’, and was brought to life by influential panellists, thoughtful speakers and the Ministry’s agenda to create more business opportunities and provide a new business platform for investors through supporting and financing such events,” said the Minister. These ranged from the future use of social media to international business growth in the most unexpected places. Among the highlights: the Travellers live in concert, George Curmi (‘IlPuse’) and his Quartet, YADA Dancers, fire-eaters, fire-jugglers and also the chance to win a return trip to Rome/Paris for two people, courtesy of FCM Travel Ltd.

“The very presence and participation of various major businesses from Gozo embodies the whole essence of this major event. The organisers even created a wall to showcase corporate pledges and those who committed to give more young people a chance for that all-important first job. This is the largest ever business award gala event to be held in Gozo and the largest trade fair of its kind.

“Today is an important milestone for Gozitan entrepreneurs. We are gathered here at the Grand Hotel in Mgarr to launch the most prestigious trade show and business awards event held in Gozo. This not only honours the essence of entrepreneurship, but also honours all the business professionals who have deservedly been selected as the nominees for the awards in their respective categories, as well as to show appreciation to all the organisers, whose work has contributed to the enhancement of entrepreneurs in the Maltese Islands,” said the Minister.

“First of all, I take this occasion to thank MBR Publications Ltd for the invitation to launch this event and also for their outstanding initiative to promote Gozo’s foremost business impresarios – the best entrepreneurs in business, including the commercial sector, hospitality, healthcare, ICT, F&B, manufacturing, industrial, real estate, banking, maritime, aviation and local industry; every major category is represented at this remarkable event,” the Minister for Gozo added.

She thanked all the exhibitors, nominees and their companies who, through their participation, are indirectly assisting growth in all sectors of the Gozitan economy which, under this Government, has seen increased growth. The biggest performers were the financial and insurance sectors, where an increase of almost 14 per cent was recorded. “Malta has been registering a positive economic performance, and the strong momentum exhibited by the Maltese economy during 2017, 2018 and 2019 is set to continue this year. The Maltese economy is expected to maintain a growth of 4.4 per cent in real terms during the first quarter of 2019, which compares to an average growth of one per cent registered in the Euro Area for the same period,” said the Minister.

Europe has been plagued with internal squabbling and the Brexit crisis for the last two years now, and some countries – such as Spain, Greece, Italy and Portugal – have suffered more than others. However, Malta’s economy shows a stable growth with no signs at all of a slowdown. The Central Bank of Malta recently confirmed this in their quarterly report. The GDP in the euro area grew in the first quarter, but remained stable in the second. This growth was mainly due to domestic demand and investment. The number of people in employment shows an improvement compared to last year. The unemployment rate currently stands at the lowest in Europe which, compared to other countries in the EU, is considerably low. The development is very positive.

Gozo Expo and the Gozo Business Awards stand as an inspiration to remind us that there are increased opportunities in Gozo for new investors in the professional, building and construction, engineering, scientific and technical, technological, healthcare, manufacturing and industrial sectors, including other private sectors, where increases are being recorded namely in property, agriculture and fishing, wholesale and retail trade and information and communication.

“The scope of this high-status and largest local trade show and gala award event is to foster the participation – and recognition – of Gozo’s most outstanding and highly exceptional business entrepreneurs, bringing them to interact with Maltese and foreign business counterparts in order to enable business networking and development and to encourage investment. l am fully behind this wonderful initiative as we want to be prime movers to promote good governance ethics, sound values and the best management practice and policies which distinguish excellent business people from the ordinary, and rewards them for their positive contribution to our island’s economic growth, their enterprise in improving our business community and their resourcefulness to act as role models for other entrepreneurs. Thus we are taking the lead to encourage and support tomorrow’s leaders and create a winning synergy,” said Dr Caruana.

“My Ministerial Portfolio and duties encourage me to uphold the best entrepreneurial ethics and values in order to create and foster awareness of the importance of rewarding entrepreneurial culture and achievements for their collateral benefits not just at the workplace, but also at international level. This enables us to recognise and celebrate the right entrepreneurial culture which stimulates the innovation, drive and commitment of a variety of corporate business clusters, including small and mediumsized enterprises (SME), ranging from iGaming to banking, from finance to industry, including key economic decision makers – the men and women who feed, clothe and grow our country,” said the Minister.

“Highlighting the fact that these awards will also introduce a number of new initiatives and categories to further the entrepreneurial cause, my Ministry is wholeheartedly supporting the Gozo Expo and these awards as both identify those demonstrating the entrepreneurial aptitude, commercial acumen, vision, ambition and drive to build a successful enterprise,” said added.

The organiser of the event, Martin Vella, said: “It is essential that we understand the importance of appreciating and rewarding inspirational business leaders. Entrepreneurs need this kind of recognition much more often than one tends to think. To have such a competent and wellversed adjudicating team looking over your shoulder, probing your business plan, looking at your balance sheet, questioning your sustainability and future strategies and then giving you the nod of approval is a source of great satisfaction.”

In closing the press conference, Dr Caruana said: “Please allow me to congratulate all the exhibitors in the Gozo Expo, as well as the nominees in the various categories for these first ever Gozo Business Awards. On behalf of the Ministry for Gozo, I also wish to extend my gratitude to everyone involved in the organisation of this event, particularly MBR Publications Ltd, and would like to say that I hope you have a fruitful and enjoyable event, which I am sure will be very successful, thanks to your contributions.”