LA VALLETTA (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela declared that Malta is experiencing a change in its economic model, confirming that “his government is leading an economic transition based on quality across the board.
During an interview on the Labour Party radio station, Abela said “yes to foreign workers in the sectors needed for economic growth, but no to foreign workers who are not needed.”
Abela was reacting to the growing concerns of the Maltese who are blaming the overcrowding of the Maltese islands on the government’s policy which is causing serious pressures on the infrastructure, including traffic, housing, and garbage crises. He added quality should outperform quantity and workers brought to Malta must have the necessary skills.
Maltàs population increased from 417,000 in 2011 to 542,000 at the end of last year. Recently, Finance Minister Clyde Caruana warned that if Malta wants to maintain an average economic growth rate of 4.2%, the population would have to increase to 800,000 by 2040, unless a new economic model was developed. Last year, some 28,000 non-EU nationals were granted a work permit and this sudden influx has resulted in worker exploitation.
Abela said the health care and elderly care sectors require more skilled foreign workers given Maltàs aging population. However, he stressed that there is an oversaturation of foreign workers in the transport sector. The Maltese Premier added that he wants to see more Maltese people take up highly-paid jobs in other sectors such as in technology.
– photo Department of Information (Doi)-
(ITALPRESS).
