The environment must be a top priority

On Tuesday morning, the Prime Minister convened the first Cabinet meeting. One of the first decisions taken is to protect the agricultural land situated between Żejtun and Bulebel. Indeed, a large piece of land near the Bulebel industrial estate will be removed from the development zone.

This shows the government’s commitment to protecting the environment, and especially agricultural land. As I have reiterated over the years, this commitment must be backed by a top-down approach. If we allow laissez-faire decisions without strategic involvement, this will also affect the country’s food security, especially agricultural land, and we will lose our direction as a socialist government. Frankly, I am pro-business as an economist, to the point that it does not impinge on the collective. Truthfully, I am glad that the first Cabinet decision signals the newly-elected government’s commitment to protecting the environment.

Looking back at the PL’s campaign and the manifesto, Int Malta, the well-being index stresses the importance of protection and the quality of the local environment. If we do not protect the environment, we will have a problem with the well-being index. It is the first time in history that a Maltese political party has bound itself to a well-being index distinct from the costings of its electoral manifesto. I am glad to also see the ministers at full speed, following up on cases. I have already received some of the cases they got back to me on, and they are in contact to resolve some of the issues that matter to them, which are also merited and have lingered for years due to excessive bureaucracy.

Having said this, the PL still needs to focus on areas that require particular attention when it comes to the protection of the environment, among others are issues related to some areas and towns I visited as part of the general election campaign in the ninth district. I will have enough time in the coming weeks to talk about them and to write about these matters. Certainly, I had the opportunity to write about them before the general election and during the campaign, and I will not shy away from repeating them. As you all know, I am quite fond of the environment and nature. Being an economist does not mean that one excludes the other. Without a healthy environment, we cannot have a healthy population, a productive workforce, and a healthy economy. If you tell me what you want to continue focusing on in the coming years, the topics that are dear to me are the environment, social, and governance.

Besides the environment, I work on ESG within the Banking and Financial Industry. I am quite happy to keep promoting the topic because we also need an integrated approach among the local government, the banking industry, the EU Multiannual Financial Framework, and the funds to be allocated for infrastructure projects to mitigate physical climate risks. Furthermore, nature and its restoration, as well as the protection of biodiversity, are topics we must not overlook. On the social part, I ran on a socialist party ticket, and no matter how pro-business we are in creating wealth, we must never forget our roots. By no means am I in favour of taking from others to give to others for matters that are not merited. We all need to work hard to achieve a better standard of living.

However, the government must step in to assist where needed, especially when market forces are outpricing our younger generation. This is why the Int Malta manifesto promotes affordable housing. It is another topic that requires immediate attention. I wrote about this last week. This measure will provide a different perspective on loans, especially the 25% interest-free loans. This is the government’s commitment and social side, which will be promoted in the current legislature.

Another topic that requires attention is governance in many decisions taken at the authority level. True, bureaucracy breeds governance. However, excessive bureaucracy is halting government performance. Allowing this excessive bureaucracy is not helping to achieve several national-interest projects. I look forward to seeing the manifesto implemented. Certainly, the competence of the ministers in charge will make this happen. And it will, in the end, result in the good of the collective.