Malta needs a sustainable long-term plan for an economy that serves its people
Speaking at a Business Breakfast at Trident Park the day after his parliamentary address on the Government’s Budget for the coming year, Alex Borg, Leader of the Opposition and of the Partit Nazzjonalista, focused on the need for higher productivity, stronger skills, quality jobs, greater economic value per visitor and a more sustainable future.
At a Business Breakfast entitled ‘Together, we are Malta’, PN Leader Alex Borg calls for a long-term commitment to policies that raise productivity and improve people’s quality of life
We must be ambitious for our country. We must plan for the next ten years and build an economy where real gains in productivity lead to a better quality of life. We must do this without exposing businesses and workers to sudden shocks.
Speaking at a Business Breakfast at Trident Park the day after his parliamentary address on the Government’s Budget for the coming year, Alex Borg, Leader of the Opposition and of the Partit Nazzjonalista, focused on the need for higher productivity, stronger skills, quality jobs, greater economic value per visitor and a more sustainable future.
Borg said Malta must invest more in artificial intelligence and technology to remain competitive. He said the Budget had failed to direct more investment into this field or into new areas of the economy that could create quality jobs and raise productivity.
On tourism, the PN Leader called for a shift in policy from quantity to quality. Visitor numbers are rising, putting greater pressure on Malta’s infrastructure, yet the average visitor is spending less. In 2015, visitors spent an average of €919 each. By 2025, that figure had fallen to €771.
Alex Borg also spoke about infrastructure, including pressures on the energy supply and sewerage system, as well as traffic congestion. Turning to the Government’s decision to raise the tourism eco-contribution, he set out the Partit Nazzjonalista’s proposal for the increase to apply only during the peak season to avoid harming tourism in the months on either side of it.
The PN leader criticised the Government for ignoring unplanned population growth for years and then announcing measures as a knee-jerk response. He said the PN had long called for studies to establish what the country actually needs so that decisions can be based on that evidence.
Also present were PN Deputy Leader and Shadow Minister for Tourism Alex Perici Calascione, Secretary General Charles Bonello, Shadow Minister for Finance Adrian Delia and Shadow Minister for the Economy, Technology and Strategic Projects Darren Carabott.
Alex Perici Calascione said every national decision must be guided by a plan that takes account of conditions in the country. He asked how the Government had set its target, given that it had been reached far sooner than projected, before the infrastructure was ready.
In brief remarks, Adrian Delia said the Government was ignoring the realities Malta faces. Once again, the Budget had failed to change the country’s course, leaving people in Malta facing more challenges than opportunities.
Darren Carabott called for substantial investment in education to equip tomorrow’s workforce with the skills it will need. He said the Government must provide effective incentives for workers to retrain and develop their skills.
Speakers from a range of sectors took part in the discussion. They included architect David Xuereb, Charlotte Sant Portanier, Chief Executive of Healthcare Caterers Ltd, Healthmark and Kore Group, Franco Azzopardi, former Chief Executive of Express Trailers Group, and Daniel Borg, Chief Executive of the Gozo Business Chamber.
Among the issues they raised was the need for long-term economic planning with a greater focus on sustained productivity gains, an issue this Budget had failed to address.
03.11.2026
