Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1380662
12 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 6 JUNE 2021 OPINION THE economy goes beyond cash, trade, growth, consump- tion, and the labour market. It is all our economic activity, but above all there is an understand- ing that the economy goes be- yond the metrics we are used to reading, and that any econom- ic gain should be reflected in a good quality of life for people. Prime Minister Robert Abela's speech on Sunday shows that his administration is making quality of life the drive behind every de- cision being taken, whether it is the environment, tourism, for- eign investment, transport as well as social wellbeing. This is being evidenced even more profoundly in our econom- ic recovery plan, particularly in the cautious and effective eas- ing of restrictions. Central once more is the long term sustaina- bility in all decisions being taken. Tourism for Malta makes up a significant chunk of our econo- my. The easiest way is to open up without a plan just for a quick return to normality. But this can lead to serious consequences. Tourism, as important as it is for Malta, will be experienced this summer in a particular context -- that of a cautious post-COVID recovery. It is crucial at this mo- ment to continue striking a bal- ance between public health and the economy. This is as crucial now as it was in the past months as we restart -- we have to keep our communities' wellbeing and our industries afloat, our country alive. This is where the success of the Government's plan in terms of managing the pandemic and implementing a vaccination plan truly shines. We are at an immense advantage, at such an early stage, to have a significant number of the population already vaccinated. In fact, a kickstart to tourism was only made possible through Government measures and our coordination of the vaccination plan -- coupled with the respon- sible approach and cooperation of citizens, of course. But Malta was a catalyst in implementing an ambitious vaccination plan from the get-go, with great results. Our country is amongst the most successful countries in the im- plementation of the vaccination plan, having administered over half a million doses of vaccina- tions so far. We are also working on vaccination passports, to give more freedom to persons in a safe way. We have a system that is work- ing, that is organised, that finds solutions -- and that is prepared for everything. It goes without saying, I encourage all persons who can get vaccinated to do so. Government is also utilising its resources in a coordinated way to further prepare our islands for a post-COVID restart. Among many other initiatives, the 'Inseb- bħu Pajjiżna' campaign is bear- ing fruit: hundreds of tonnes of waste has already been collected from our roads, rubble walls are being fixed, structures are being repaired and repainted. Above all, our workforce is being em- powered and utilised for the ben- efit of everyone, whilst raising awareness on the importance of keeping our country clean, our urban environments livable, and our ecosystems healthy. This initiative is particularly important in preparation for the summer. Not only do our roads, beaches, seas, and urban areas need to be kept clean for the sake of our experiences of them, but also due to the dangers related to littering our environment - par- ticularly the marine ecosystem. Residents all across the coun- try have welcomed this initiative, showing how a little can go a long way. The reality is these residents are recognising that Government is investing heavily in the areas we live in, everywhere you look: in tourism, infrastructure, environ- ment, cleansing -- our buildings, parks, nature reserves and road networks are being given consid- erable upgrades and maintenance in order to improve quality of life of all citizens, day after day. In the past few weeks my Ministry announced three new green gar- dens, amongst many other initi- atives -- and my colleagues have announced a number of projects as well -- a testament to the man- ner in which we are continuing to build upon our successes and turn our islands into a greener, more livable country. And we are doing this for none other than our people and our communities. In the four years of this Government, Malta has seen unprecedented investment and reforms across all sectors: all with the people at the centre of our fo- cus, every step of the way. As Prime Minister Robert Abela strongly asserted on Sunday, the work of this Government has al- lowed families and businesses to stay afloat during the pandemic. Perhaps surprisingly, the prop- erty market remains unscathed, with a record number of proper- ty agreements signed -- again, in the midst of a pandemic. Such re- sults, which show confidence in our systems, come about through long-term investment into our industries and families, strategic planning and saving. Stability is important for fami- lies in many aspects of their lives -- and stability, together with peace of mind, is exactly what this Government provided when it comes to water and energy bills. Not only were bills slashed and more than half a billion eu- ro was given back to the people through lowered energy bills, but this has remained consistent. Re- visions and reforms in this sector are ongoing. The Prime Minister also spoke of a complete overhaul in the area of good governance: coura- geous reforms which the Gov- ernment undertook -- again, in the midst of a pandemic. The results are being felt and inter- national institutions have praised the pace and extent of reforms made. The work is not yet done. But once again, the country is on the right track. Throughout the years, Gov- ernment has also become more conscious that decisions need to be long-term. Wealth generated needs to be sustainable -- and in full cognisance of that, our meas- ures are focused on sustainability as a priority. We also continue to work to- wards creating that balance between development and the natural environment, fostering dialogue and stability. This is the way forward for Malta. Wealth generation needs to be sustainable Aaron Farrugia Aaron Farrugia is minister for the environment