Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1538811
IF Malta is to thrive in the coming dec- ades, we must stop thinking of our- selves as a small island and start seeing ourselves as a global testbed for bold ideas. Throughout history, small nations have often led the way in innovation. Size has never been a barrier to vision. And Malta, with our strategic location, agile economy, and close-knit commu- nities, has every ingredient to become a living laboratory for the solutions of tomorrow. Innovation is not just about new tech- nologies. It is a mindset; a way of solv- ing problems, creating opportunities, and driving national progress. Today, our innovation story is frag- mented. Yes, we have sectors like gam- ing and fintech that have grown impres- sively. But beyond these, innovation in Malta remains underdeveloped. Na- tional R&D investment is low, start-ups face hurdles, and public-private part- nerships for innovation remain rare. This is why we need a complete reset. We believe Malta can become a Liv- ing Lab for Small Island Innovation; a country where bold solutions to chal- lenges like clean energy, smart tourism, and digital finance are tested, scaled, and exported. Gozo will be a key part of this vision. We propose turning Gozo into a test- bed for frontier technologies; smart mobility systems, renewable energy grids, and circular economy initiatives. Gozo's scale, community, and connec- tivity make it the perfect island-scale innovation lab. But innovation cannot be confined to geography. We will launch a Malta Innovation Fund, supporting start-ups and scale-ups tackling national and global challenges, which will be sup- ported by the Malta Venture Capital Fund. The Fund will provide grants, seed capital, and mentoring for busi- nesses working in energy, health tech, fintech, agritech, and more. Our education system will also be re- imagined to fuel innovation. Instead of teaching facts alone, we will empower students with life skills—problem-solv- ing, systems thinking, and entrepre- neurial creativity. We will equip our youth not only to work in innovative industries but to create them. Government itself must innovate. Too often, our public services are stuck in outdated processes. We will establish an Innovation and Delivery Unit within the Office of the Prime Minister. Its job will be to drive digital transformation and service delivery across government, using agile methods and new technol- ogies to cut bureaucracy and improve citizens' lives. Innovation also means attracting the right kind of investors. Malta should welcome companies that bring knowl- edge, create jobs, and invest in our peo- ple—not those who simply exploit reg- ulatory loopholes. Our tax and business environment will reward value creation over short-term profit. And we will foster a culture where risk is embraced. Failure is not an end, but a lesson. Our regulatory frameworks will support experimentation, sandboxes, and innovation hubs that allow new ideas to be tested safely and quickly. Vision 2050 recognises the need for innovation. But Malta's innovation policy cannot stop at vision papers and strategy documents. It must be lived every day by entrepreneurs, educators, public servants, and citizens. We must build a Malta where: 1. Health tech solutions improve lives across small island states. 2. Renewable energy innovations pow- er not just our homes but our maritime industries. 3. Local creators launch digital prod- ucts that reach global markets. 4. Public services deliver faster, sim- pler, and smarter. Innovation is how small nations make a global impact. It is how Malta will punch above its weight and build a fu- ture-ready economy that is resilient to shocks and rich in opportunity. This is not just an economic strategy. It is a mindset shift for the whole coun- try. We will support our entrepreneurs. We will transform our public sector. The Nationalist Party is ready to lead this shift. To make innovation not a sector, but a national mission. The future will not wait for us to catch up. We must lead. And we will. to schools and clinics. To allow safer walks for older residents after sunset, we will expand lighting along country lanes. We will fund local councils proper- ly to do these things and others like adding bins along promenades and stepping up enforcement against illegal dumping. Clean streets raise spirits and invite visitors back. Our proposed afforestation project will see hundreds of trees planted along main roads and we will create pocket parks on pub- lic land in residential areas with benches for grandparents and play corners for children. Qual- ity of life is down to little detail: public toilets in Marsalforn and Xlendi will stay clean and open from morning till late evening. The sea feeds us and defines us. Protecting our bays from sewage overflows and grease dumping will be my priority, and I will hold agencies to strict deadlines for quay or road repairs after storms. I will support stormwa- ter projects that keep fields alive and streets dry. I will ensure the reconstruction of the Mar- salforn Breakwater within the shortest possible time, avoiding further unjustified delays. Young people deserve roots and wings. Stone restoration apprenticeships are something I will expand. My goal is to secure paid placements with Gozitan firms so students can build ca- reers here. Late opening hours and free rehearsal rooms for youth sports and arts spaces are what I will sponsor. I will support mental-health services in schools and community clin- ics so families find help early, not after a crisis. We will launch a mentor network that pairs students with business owners, nurses, engineers, and artists who guide them through studies and first jobs. In this forthcoming election I ask for your trust because I plan to earn it, not because I claim a title. I grew through mistakes, and I learned that leadership means service, presence, and truth. Give me the mandate to give Gozo the importance it deserves, every day. Judge me on ferry queues, hospital wait- ing times, safer streets, cleaner bays, steadier jobs, and a calmer monthly budget in your kitchen drawer. I ask that you hold me accountable for these measures that I have outlined and I accept the responsibility for complet- ing that test. 15 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 24 AUGUST 2025 OPINION Alex Borg Innovation as Malta's engine. Building a living lab for the future PN leadership candidate We will establish an Innovation and Delivery Unit within the Office of the Prime Minister. Its job will be to drive digital transformation and service delivery across government, using agile methods and new technologies to cut bureaucracy and improve citizens' lives. Valletta