This week I followed discussions on social media about political polls and the nationwide concerns of the electorate. These concerns were quite telling. As economists, we follow them closely to devise and propose economic policies. Over the past four years, I have used this platform to promote different economic policies and ideas for Malta. My goal was to help ease some of the economic problems that stem from our unprecedented economic success. If you followed my weekly column, you would notice I mentioned some problems in my capacity as an economist specialising in policy, not regulation, especially with a focus on sustainability. Two of the electorate’s concerns, whether nationwide or individual, are traffic problems and over-construction.
I have written extensively on the traffic problem over the past years. I proposed building underground car parks in the outskirts of towns and villages. Parking spaces have become scarce due to infrastructure upgrades and population growth. We should use dilapidated, unregulated sites for underground parking. This would provide more parking while keeping the surface green, as seen abroad. Many government offices in Valletta could also be used more efficiently. We could explore using Marsa, in line with Chapman Taylor’s vision, to revitalise rundown areas. Such offices could support Marsa’s regeneration and provide walking access to Valletta, reducing traffic and emissions. Valletta’s palaces must be restored to help avoid rental office cost pressures. We must also preserve our UNESCO World Heritage status from over-exploitation. Teleworking and flexible hours are key to lowering emissions and reducing traffic from private vehicles.
Also, we need a serious discussion about how people should commute through new means of transportation. A water transportation system, connected to a tram system might be ideal on the island’s eastern coast. We do not need to dig up Malta to have this executed, because, firstly, we do not have space to dispose of our construction waste – unless we go for land reclamation – and doing so would be quite costly over a long period of time. We should first explore some low hanging fruit initiatives. Whatever is proposed is obviously welcomed. Besides, we might consider short-term measures and ask whether third country nationals need a driving licence to work and live in Malta, given that public transport is free, and perhaps delve further into data on tourists driving in Malta while on holiday. Eventually, I prefer to cap the number of rental cars for tourists per season to reduce emissions and traffic rather than impose it on locals, as some fringe parties have proposed. Traffic has indeed expanded to every hour of the day and every season.
Besides, the electorate expressed their concerns about over-construction. Indeed, I have also written extensively about the right policies to plan and pause some of the construction for refurbishments. The government did listen, as I saw a bit of a push in this area with grants that aid families to refurbish and green their properties. The Labour Congress last week was a good opportunity to listen to delegates and the public. After the MEP elections, I offered to help the PL draft the manifesto. As you know, I grew up within the Labour Party, so it is only reasonable to offer my services. Well, I would have loved to help, and I am still available should they need my services.
One of the reasons I kept this weekly column was to propose economic policies. And I know that many take note of what I write, and at times they use the ideas. Certainly, a policy which I would be happy to see in the upcoming manifesto is the preservation of residential gardens within our towns and villages. We need to revise our planning policies. Surely, the PL in government must stop contradicting itself on this matter. The government, rightly so, is spending millions to green Malta by restoring nature and refurbishing our existing open spaces for our families by planting hundreds of trees. However, in tandem, residential buildings that host mature trees and serve as green buffers between dwellings are being knocked down to make way for rows of flats.
Well, I understand that the PL is trying, through Project Green, to provide green open spaces within 10 minutes of every locality. However, when you arrive from work, after a busy day, and after spending time in traffic back and forth, the last thing you want is to open the window and see a row of blocks of flats and over-construction. If there is a green patch that can be saved within our highly urbanised areas, hosting gardens and mature trees, please preserve them. This can be tied to mental health problems too as part of an integrated approach, and what I have proposed as the right to adequate green space in highly urbanised areas two years ago. People cannot tolerate over-construction any longer, with roads closed for diversions to upgrade our infrastructure and, in tandem, the construction of rows of flats.
When I look at the electorate’s concerns, Malta’s problems seem largely planning-related, which is an irony given the economic success. However, no party in government was ever changed over traffic or construction issues. While the EU faces rising energy prices and economic challenges such as inflation, unemployment, and stagnating growth, I realise how fortunate we are in Malta to have the right government at the right time, with the right economic policies. Still, the government needs to accelerate road infrastructure upgrades. Currently, there are road closures and upgrades in several localities. Residents are not opposed to these upgrades, but their frustration stems from lengthy completion times caused by a lack of coordination among the various entities involved, including Enemalta (for cable upgrades), Water Services (for drainage and water pipes), and other agencies. It is indeed our malaise. Considering that the Marsa Junction was completed in just two years, it is hard to see why resurfacing and servicing a road should take about a year.
Indeed, the PL’s long-standing record and credibility are undeniable. Now, people expect higher-quality services. We must complete infrastructure projects on time, upgrade mass transportation where necessary, and preserve the environment. Over the past 13 years, the PL tripled the economy. We can address these issues today because our economy has grown faster than expected. Without economic growth, we cannot guarantee these services. We have already experienced this process in the 1970s and 1980s. Back then, the PL improved many lives in a very short time, and the electorate demanded higher-quality products. Now, 50 years later, the electorate seeks upgrades not in products, but in services, infrastructure, and the environment. Why? Because the basics are now met, the country is richer, and hence we must address higher-level of needs.
