Month: January 2023

Il-Prim Ministru Robert Abela ddiskuta r-riformi li l-gvern qed iwettaq u għandu maħsuba fl-oqsma tal-ġustizzja u t-tisħiħ tas-sigurtà ma numru ta’ studenti attivi f’għaqdiet studenteski.

Kien il-prim ministru li stieden rappreżentanti minn dawn l-għaqdiet fil-Berġa ta’ Kastilja biex jisma’ wkoll mingħandhom proposti li għandhom għal dawn iż-żewġ setturi importanti.

Filwaqt li elenka bidliet importanti li saru fl-aħħar snin, il-prim ministru fisser kif il-gvern għandu maħsuba iktar bidliet anke bbażati fuq dak propost fil-manifest elettorali.

Filwaqt li pajjiżna jibqa’ wieħed mill-iktar siguri, u li r-rata ta’ kriminalità, hekk kif ikkonfermat minn studji ta’ akkademiċi, baqgħet waħda taħt kontroll, is-soċjetà trid tibgħat il-ħin kollu messaġġ ċar favur imġieba xierqa.

Fil-laqgħa rriżulta wkoll kif għadd ta’ proposti tal-istudenti għaddejja wkoll ħidma dwarhom.

Filwaqt li sema’ mingħandhom, il-prim ministru appella lill-istudenti biex jibqgħu attivi f’din id-diskussjoni u oħrajn, hekk kif il-gvern hu determinat li jibqa’ jmexxi ‘l quddiem aġenda riformista li ma tikkuntentax bl-istatus quo jew b’dak li ksibna sal-lum.

Fil-fatt, irrefera għall-isfida li wieħed isib meta jipprova jbiddel anke ċerti prattiċi, inkluż fil-qrati, u qal li minkejja dan, wieħed irid ikollu l-kuraġġ li jidħol għall-bidla.

Il-prim ministru kien akkumpanjat mill-Ministru għall-Intern, is-Sigurtà, ir-Riformi u l-Ugwaljanza Byron Camilleri, il-Ministru għall-Ġustizzja Jonathan Attard, is-Segretarju Parlamentari għall-Ugwaljanza u r-Riformi Rebecca Buttigieg u s-Segretarju Parlamentari għaż-Żgħażagħ, ir-Riċerka u l-Innovazzjoni Keith Azzopardi Tanti.

Fil-Berġa ta’ Kastilja, il-Prim Ministru Robert Abela kellu laqgħa ta’ korteżija mill-Fondazzjoni Nippon immexxija miċ-Chairman Dr Yohei Sasakawa. 

Imwaqqfa fil-Ġappun aktar minn sittin sena ilu, din il-fondazzjoni tmexxi ’l quddiem inizjattivi soċjali favur is-sigurtà tal-ikel, l-edukazzjoni u s-saħħa u titkellem b’mod attiv fuq kwistjonijiet marbuta mal-ambjent marittimu. Fil-fatt il-Fondazzjoni Nippon taħdem ħafna mill-qrib mal-International Maritime Organisation (IMO), aġenzija tan-Nazzjonijiet Magħquda.

Il-Prim Ministru Robert Abela rringrazzja lill-Fondazzjoni Nippon għall-kollaborazzjoni sħiħa mal-IMO, li taħt l-awspiċi tagħha jaħdem l-International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI), li għandu ċentru f’pajjiżna. Il-Prim Ministru rrikonoxxa interessi komuni li għandha Malta u din il-fondazzjoni Ġappuniża fosthom l-ekonomija blu. Fil-laqgħa kien hemm preżenti wkoll il-Ministru għat-Trasport, l-Infrastruttura u l-Proġetti Kapitali, Aaron Farrugia u s-Segretarju Permanenti fi ħdan l-istess Ministeru, Godwin Mifsud.

Il-Prim Ministru Robert Abela ħabbar li, fl-aħħar jiem, il-Kabinett approva żewġ skemi maħsuba biex jgħinu n-negozji jagħmlu l-qalba lejn ir-rinovabbli u s-sostenibbiltà. F’indirizz li għamel waqt it-tnedija ta’ programm ta’ ċelebrazzjonijiet li jimmarkaw il-175 anniversarju mit-twaqqif tal-Kamra tal-Kummerċ, il-Prim Ministru spjega wkoll li din is-sena rridu ntellqu proposta leġiżlattiva għal dritt bażiku ta’ kont tal-bank għas-self employed u n-negozji kif imwiegħed fil-manifest elettorali ‘Malta Flimkien’.​

Dr Abela spjega li miexi x-xogħol fuq sistema li tiffaċilita l-proċessi ta’ due diligence filwaqt li dawn jibqgħu robusti u b’saħħithom. “Qed naraw li jkollna riżultati konkreti bbażati fuq konsultazzjoni magħkom u msieħba oħra,” spjega l-Prim Ministru f’dan ir-rigward filwaqt li rrimarka li llum pajjiżna għandu ċertifikati ta’ ġurisdizzjoni serja u b’saħħitha u dawn il-fatti rridu nisfruttawhom.

Il-Prim Ministru Robert Abela fisser il-Kamra tal-Kummerċ bħala sieħeb strateġiku importanti hekk kif membri tal-Kamra jersqu ‘l quddiem b’ideat u proposti li jinbtu frott l-aspirazzjonijiet intraprenditorjali iżda li jkunu wkoll ta’ fejda għal pajjiżna. Il-Prim Ministru Robert Abela ta s-serħan il-moħħ li l-Gvern se jibqa’ jkun spalla u jagħti ċ-ċertezza u l-istabbiltà biex f’pajjiżna jibqa’ jkollna l-aqwa ambjent li fih jibqgħu jikbru n-negozji u s-settur tax-xogħol ikompli jissaħħaħ. Il-Prim Ministru qal li dan isir fi żmien ta’ prijoritajiet ġodda li għandu l-pajjiż fosthom l-ambjent u l-qalba diġitali. Hawn irrefera għall-pjan li tnieda fl-aħħar jiem b’rabta mal-akbar pakkett ta’ fondi Ewropej li kisbet Malta, li jiżboq iż-żewġ biljun ewro.

Il-Prim Ministru qal li l-prosperità l-ġdida li bħala Gvern irid jibqa’ jiggarantixxi tiddependi wkoll minn kemm se jirnexxielna nagħmlu qabżiet ġodda, fosthom li l-ekonomija tagħna ssir waħda climate neutral u ssir aktar diġitali. Dr Abela spjega li l-Gvern se jibqa’ jinvesti fosthom fl-infrastruttura diġitali u fis-settur edukattiv filwaqt li jkompli jaqta’ l-burokrazija biex ikompli jiġi faċilitat l-investiment u l-kummerċ. Il-Prim Ministru qal li skrutinji minn istituzzjonijiet indipendenti lkoll ikkonfermaw li pajjiżna għandu ekonomija b’saħħitha u nistgħu nħarsu lejn il-ġejjieni b’ottimiżmu għax għandna preżent b’saħħtu.

Il-Prim Ministru awgura lill-Kamra tal-Kummerċ li dalwaqt ukoll se tgħaddi minn proċess ta’ għażla ta’ tmexxija ġdida u sostna li jħares ‘il quddiem li bħala sħab jibqa’ jkollna interess komuni favur Għawdex u Malta.

Il-Prim Ministru Robert Abela żar il-lukanda Grands Suites Hotel fil-qalba tal-Gżira wara investiment massiċċ ta’ €45 miljun.

Matul iż-żjara, il-Prim Ministu Robert Abela kellu l-opportunità jiltaqa’ mat-tmexxija tal-kumpanija u diversi ħaddiema li għażlu karriera fil-qasam tal-ospitalità. Dr Abela nnota wkoll il-fiduċja qawwija li għandu l-imprenditur Malti f’pajjiżna permezz tar-reżiljenza li kompla juri f’ċirkostanzi internazzjonali li ġabu magħhom sfidi kbar.

Dan il-kuntest ta’ fiduċja f’pajjiżna kompla jiġi kkonfermat permezz ta’ ċifri maħruġa mill-Uffiċċju Nazzjonali tal-Istatistika li wrew is-sens qawwi ta’ ottimiżmu għaż-żmien li ġej. Fil-fatt, bejn Jannar u Novembru tal-2022 in-numri ta’ turisti li żaru pajjiżna kien dak ta’ madwar 2.2 miljun turist; qrib ħafna dak tal-2019 fejn kienet meqjusa bħala sena rekord fit-turiżmu.

Id-Direttur Maniġerjali tal-lukanda, is-Sur Marvin Spiteri, irreċiproka din l-istess fiduċja f’pajjiżna billi wera l-apprezzament tiegħu tal-appoġġ li rċieva kontinwament mill-awtoritajiet kollha kkonċernati biex dan il-proġett seta’ jitlesta u jkun ta’ suċċess.

“Kburin ħafna bit-tlestija ta’ dan il-proġett b’investiment ta’ €45 miljun. Issa ninsabu ħerqana li noffru prodott turistiku ta’ kwalità f’pajjiżna lil kull min jagħżel li jżur il-ġmiel li għandu x’joffri pajjiżna”, stqarr is-Sur Spiteri.

Il-ħsieb wara din il-lukanda mgħammra b’231 kamra kien li toffri ospitalità differenti bil-għan li t-turisti li jagħżlu din l-akkomodazzjoni jagħmlu użu mis-servizzi ta’ kwalità li toffri Grands Suites Hotel. Kull kamra għandha l-faċilità ta’ kċina u f’kull sular hemm is-servizz ta’ ħasil bħallikieku r-resident qiegħed jgħix f’daru xorta waħda.

Preżenti matul iż-żjara kien hemm ukoll il-Ministru għat-Turiżmu Clayton Bartolo.

The European Union operational programmes and plans allocated for Malta from 2021-2027 were launched today at the MFCC in Ta’ Qali. During the launch, Prime Minister Robert Abela stated that this is the largest allocation of EU funds that Malta has ever received, which was agreed after intense negotiations and discussions, and is aimed at making a tangible difference over the next decade as it will be used to enhance the investment in our people.

“We will continue to build on our country’s economic stability and the successes we have had in recent years. Our efforts will be enabled further by the largest allocation of EU funds ever received since we became an EU member state,” the Prime Minister said, as he also outlined the challenges Malta faced to obtain more EU funds in the light of the economic success the country has enjoyed in recent years. Dr Abela said that the Cohesion Funds allocated to Malta have made our economy more competitive and sustainable whilst accelerating our green and digital transition.

Dr Abela referred to a number of other areas over and above the digital and environmental, and highlighted the increased allocation of EU funds towards Gozo, making public and mental health more resilient, education; including investment in vocational education, an improved tourism product, and investment in agriculture and fisheries. With reference to the environment, he stated that Malta will be investing EU funds in Natura 2000 sites, to create more parks and gardens for families to enjoy, in water management plans, and in projects that will provide cleaner aid such as the shore-to-ship project and the new interconnector.

The Prime Minister said that this largest package of EU funds, together with all the investment being carried out in our people, will ensure that we continue improving the quality of life of the Maltese and Gozitan citizens whilst working on our long-term plan, and incentivising businesses by investing further in the digital sector.

The launch was also addressed by the Minister for the Economy, European Funds and Lands, who said that this package of EU funds is crucial as, together with the government’s plan, it will support our efforts to build a strong economy for the future. “These funds will enable us to help small and medium enterprises invest in innovative projects to improve their products or services, whilst ensuring sustainability. We want Malta to continue having an environmental conscience whilst safeguarding and improving the aesthetics of our heritage. In terms of the social sector, we will use these funds to make sure that each and every person in this country will have opportunities made available to them. These funds will also be used in substantial infrastructural projects that will lead to positive change in our country,” Minister Schembri commented.

The European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms Elisa Ferreira said that she was delighted to be in Malta to celebrate the new generation of cohesion investments, which are a strong signal of the European Union’s support and solidarity. “This funding will help Malta and the Maltese people build a modern, green, energy efficient, innovative, and competitive economy that leaves no person behind. We have designed these investment priorities together, in a close partnership between the national authorities and stakeholders and the European Commission, and together we will make them work for the future of Malta, and the future of Europe.”

Parliamentary Secretary for European Funds Chris Bonett said that EU funds have enabled change and modernisation of our country. He added that, more than ever before, the Maltese public will have more access to EU funds to be able to achieve personal goals. “We are convinced that our promise to provide an improved quality of life to our citizens will be delivered through these EU funds. Over the next seven years, we will be giving people more access to EU funds than ever before, so that the EU funds are brought closer to the citizens themselves,” Dr Bonett said.

Before the launch of the European Union operational programmes and plans, a meeting between Prime Minister Robert Abela and EU Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms Elisa Ferreira was held at Auberge de Castille.