Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1462122
THINK about the Malta you want to live in. A Malta based on fairness and opportunity, where drive, ideas and hard work are rewarded, rather than connections to the ruling elite. A Malta of clean, green towns and cities, quietly buzzing with life and possibility. Yet one whose natural spaces are effec- tively protected, restored where necessary, and widely and re- spectfully enjoyed by its citi- zens. A Malta in which development is not at odds with our environ- ment, but serves to enhance it, focused on long term sustaina- ble growth and not just turning a fast buck. A Malta plugged into Europe and the rest of the world, open to the future and contributing to the latest trends and devel- opments. A Malta that is respected in- ternationally again, punching above its weight and attracting the best investment. Whose of- ficials are known to be tough, serious negotiators who get things done, and get them done right. A Malta where everyone – teachers, nurses, social work- ers, journalists, professionals, employees, blue collar workers, civil servants – can do their work in a respectful, fair envi- ronment. Where small busi- nesses and the self-employed are allowed to work in peace, confident that they operate on a level playing field. Where competition is fair, tenders are transparent, and disputes are mediated efficiently. A Malta in which people's di- versity is valued and allowed to enrich us, where everyone can contribute according to their ability. Where progress is meas- ured in terms of human happi- ness, and no one is left behind. A Malta where public servants, politicians and political appoin- tees are held to account. Where justice is served without delay, where public institutions oper- ate competently, independently and without favour. A Malta in which citizens and civil society are routinely con- sulted, listened to, and relied upon to improve the legislative and regulatory process. A Malta that your children will be excited to call home, instead of one that they plan to make their escape from as quickly as possible, as too many do right now. This is the Malta that I want to live in. Unfortunately it is not the Malta that we current- ly have. If we want this Malta it is not enough to wish for it, or to grumble about all the things that are not going right. We have to work for it, to fight for it, to build it together. And next week, we have to vote for it. In many respects we have lost sight of our values, traveling fast, but in the wrong direc- tion. If we keep going we will get even more lost, even further away from where we want to be, from the Malta that we want. Let's have the courage to change direction, to say 'that's enough, we want something better'. Let's make that choice, roll up our sleeves and get to work. I am ready to do my bit. And whatever you choose, I will re- main with you, for Malta. THE basis of policy-making is to ensure a better quality of life for our people. This was precisely my message the day in which together with Daniel Micallef and Ramona At- tard, we launched the '100 ideas' project back in August 2020. Fast-forward 19 months on the day, the Prime Minister last week presented to the coun- try our electoral programme: a thousand proposals that en- capsulate our vision for a better future, a stronger nation and a prosperous economic model which aspires to place the ambi- tion of a superior quality of life for all at its very core. Maltese businesses will be in the driving seat of our sustaina- ble economic vision. Just like we did during the toughest months of the pandemic we shall be supporting and incentivising our commercial community as they transform their business models into sustainable ones, creating quality careers for our workforce and deliver value to our people. On corporate tax, we will de- liver on what others always said would never happen. With- out any preconditions we will reduce corporate tax by 10% across the board. On top of that we are removing the entire tax burden from all reinvested prof- its. We want to make it easier for businesses to invest in their own transition towards sustainable business models as this is a crit- ical first step in the levelling up towards a decarbonised econo- my. We have always believed that incentives work much better than irrational mandatory re- quirements. That is why we will finance 40% of capital in- vestment made by Maltese and Gozitan companies which have a positive environmental and societal impact. Same will apply to corporate projects involving renewable energy and digitali- sation. We will do this whilst we hand- hold our self-employed and small enterprises in monetising their energy efficiency potential through fully-funded energy au- dits. These recommendations will be further complimented by tax credits that induce the actu- al implementation of energy-ef- ficiency related projects. We want our workforce to be at the forefront of this econom- ic vision. The rapidity by which our companies can drive this economic transition depends heavily on the ability of our in- valuable human capital to sup- port all this. We want to extend these new opportunities to our workers and we will be fully funding training programmes linked to green job reskilling. Additionally, a Labour gov- ernment will be financing 75% of the salaries of all new green careers created in the private sector. We will keep supporting these newly created employ- ment opportunities for the first three years so as to minimise the inherent business risk involved in new ventures. We want to sway board deci- sions towards prioritising green and environmental business projects over conventional and unsustainable ones. In order to do so we will create a financial ecosystem which makes it easier for finance and capital to flow towards committed green com- panies. Interest on green bonds issued by companies on our Stock Ex- change will be untaxed. This will create a positive advantage of 15% for all investors who opt for green bond instruments – a move that will reduce the risk of financing these projects whilst enhancing the rewards for Mal- tese investors that commit their money to green Maltese compa- nies. As we presented our proposals for a brighter future, the Na- tionalist Party resorted to the old way of doing politics: lying their way through the last weeks of the campaign. The wage sup- plement was and still is a crucial tool that safeguarded employ- ment during the toughest times our businesses went through in more than half a century. Bla- tantly spreading lies about this financial grant as we extended this assistance for the month of April says a lot about Bernard Grech and where his real prin- ciples stand. maltatoday | SUNDAY • 20 MARCH 2022 OPINION 13 The Malta we want A thousand proposals – one purpose Bernard Grech Miriam Dalli Bernard Grech is Opposition leader and leader of the Nationalist Party Miriam Dalli is energy minister and a Labour candidate on the 5th, 11th districts