Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/388498
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 28 SEPTEMBER 2014 Opinion 20 T he Pre-Budget Document 2015 embodies the government's commitment to ensure that the whole of society can benefit from the economic stability and successes achieved so far. 'Creating Opportunities, Not Dependencies' lays out the government's vision for Budget 2015, ensuring that social welfare ref lects the government's objective of creating opportunities while discouraging dependencies. At the same time, sustainable social protection will be guaranteed. The government's past commitment to achieve macro- economic stability, and to ensure a higher level of certainty for local and foreign investors, has paid off in terms of growing business activity, job creation and higher consumption. The Maltese economy enjoyed robust economic growth, with record growth rates in employment, declining unemployment rates, a reduction in the cost of living, and higher valued added recorded by the majority of industries. The government is also delivering on its promise to rein in the deficit to well below three per cent and is also gradually reducing the debt ratio toward the 60 per cent benchmark. Besides remaining committed to a growth-oriented strategy through the 'making work pay' principle, the government intends extending this approach into social policy by ensuring that the welfare system guarantees the necessary level of social protection, while minimising the dependency effect. The government will be looking towards initiatives that create clear incentives for individuals to work and contribute to society, and to encourage them to steer away from dependency, while ensuring the attainment of value for money in public expenditure, as well as the long term sustainability of social protection in Malta. The pre-budget vision for Gozo is 'Investing in infrastructural and human capital' – the added constraints imposed on Gozo have long been established. With the right investment and incentives, Gozo can maximise its potential and prosper. In past budgets, various measures and initiatives have been targeted towards Gozo: Shifting back office operations to Gozo so that more job opportunities can be found for Gozitan workers, allowing them to remain within their own communities – examples include the migration of the salaries section pertaining to MFSS, the migration of VAT returns, and that of the eResidence Unit, and the National Office of Statistics also opened a new section based in Gozo for the compiling of Gozo- related data and indicators; Start-Up Tax Credit: Malta Enterprise has announced incentives where Gozo-based enterprises can benefit from tax credits up to a maximum of €50,000 over any period of three consecutive years; Yacht Marina and Cruise Terminal in Gozo: an expression of interest for the construction of a yacht marina and cruise liner terminal has been issued and is now at the stage where proponents have to submit detailed technical studies. Plans to have a modern home for the elderly are underway. A site has been identified and studies submitted to MEPA for approval; The Barth Medical School in Gozo: Once fully functional, this initiative has the potential of fostering positive synergy with the Gozo General Hospital in creating additional activities; Promoting Gozo as a prime tourist location. Efforts have been increased to regenerate the Cittadella. Tenders for the restoration of the Cittadella, including the facade of the present law courts, the Governor's Palace, the old prison, and the arched walkway among others have all been issued. The tourism industry has also been supported through the Travel to Gozo Scheme, under which commuters are offered special prices during specific weekends. The next budget will be yet another step toward maximising Gozo's potential to the benefit of its industrious community. Anton Refalo is Minister for Gozo I t is a pity that there seems to be a general feeling that we often have to wait for summits – be they global or regional – and cataclysmic events like tsunamis and hurricanes to bring climate change related issues to the fore. Sometimes I am nothing but shocked and amazed when I come across people with an otherwise sound academic and professional background who dare pop the ques- tion as to whether I really believe 'all this airy fairy stuff'? Almost as if climate issues are something that I coined up or else that the government itself put to the fore as a diversionary issue. In a year of various celebrations and anniversaries we would be short- sighted to fail to acknowledge Malta's historic step forward when the very first initiative about climate change was taken by our country at UN level by the Nationalist government. This is a landmark event that we had celebrated during a sober but dignified event hosted by the former President of the Republic at San Anton earlier this year. But now is the time to look ahead. The EU will soon have to finalise it 2030 energy and climate package. Beyond this week's UN Ban Ki- moon summit in New York it is an issue that will be on the agenda of the EU Council the same way that it will be discussed at COP level in Lima Peru in December. What interests me most is not just the summitry, although this should serve to raise the level of internation- al awareness on the subject, but what goes on and happens in between. In terms of momentum and state of play of ongoing developments. If we miss this opportunity we will definitely be on the wrong side of his- tory as well as on the losing side of it. Climate action should not be per- ceived as a threat but as an opportu- nity that one should address. This is the spirit that has spurred us to finalise work on the draft legislation on climate action that the government should be discussing shortly before a consultation process is launched. Our point of departure, especially when faced by so many climate scep- tics, is to acknowledge that climate change is a fact and that time is running out. Within the same breath we must recognise another fact that is often denied – that climate change is mainly man made. It is encouraging to see world leaders like Barack Obama talk of it as one of our major threats, of the Chinese Premier to commit himself to declare war against pollution and fight it with the same determination with which they battled poverty, and the Indian Premier to state that with each passing month, year and decade the ecological debt of future genera- tions is mounting higher and higher. While Malta is working hard at an inter ministerial level on its response to the EU Climate and Energy pack- age proposals, it is equally encourag- ing to see that a number of countries – both developed and developing – are formulating clear cut strategies as to the benefits of climate action as well as what needs to be done. Not only to ensure that the Paris 2015 summit will succeed but even more so that tangible results will be delivered beyond that would-be landmark date. This cannot be perceived or seen as a stop go stop event or chain of events but rather as an ongoing proc- ess that needs to be well sustained and at the same time kept under constant check, scrutiny and review with sharp monitoring to match the platitudes with whatever may be re- ally happening on the ground. I touched upon these points in a rather telegraphic manner during a recent address to the Parliament for Youths a few days ago in what must have been the last sitting in the so- called 'old' House of Representatives until we migrate next month to the new Piano building. What I find most encouraging is that addressing climate action issues goes far beyond purely environmen- tal concerns. It is a common sense approach and at the same time something that also makes sense for the economy. Particularly because it becomes increasingly clear that it is all about changing the way we produce and use energy. With the barriers to taking action having been lowered due to the lower and falling prices of alternatives such as solar power this leaves us facing the key and major obstacle ahead. The extent of the political will to move ahead. While all countries have their own challenges and responsibilities to address I am finding it very reassur- ing that partly because of growing awareness of the impacts, there is increasing political will among the big emitters to tackle climate change. This can be gauged from their domestic action – even if we always tend to rightly aspire for a faster and quicker pace – as well as their ap- proach to the international negotia- tions. While I reiterate that we must start thinking as of now about the post- Paris 2015 scenario, at the same time we need to bring vital momentum to a deal in Paris next year. Paris might not be the end of our journey but if Paris morphs into a nightmare situation as the Copen- hagen summit of the past had done then we will be all jeopardising and reducing the prospects of a safer, healthier and more prosperous future. Locally, regionally and globally Leo Brincat is Minister for Sustainable Development, the Environment, and Climate Change Opinion Leo Brincat Anton Refalo Why do we have to wait for summits and tsunamis? I am finding it very reassuring that partly because of growing awareness of the impacts, there is increasing political will among the big emitters to tackle climate change The next budget will be yet another step toward maximising Gozo's potential Rewarding Gozo's industrious community