Opposition leader Adrian Delia, accompanied by officials of the Nationalist Party, welcomed the Council of the Malta Developers Association, headed by MDA President Sandro Chetcuti at PN Headquarters, Pietà, this afternoon for an exchange of views on the 2019 Budget and other matters related to the construction industry.
The meeting took place a few hours before the PN presented its Pre-Budget Document. “This is a sector that is important not only for the country’s physical development but, from an economic standpoint, contributing in creating a large number of jobs,” Dr Delia said.
The Opposition was keen to express its views, but more importantly to listen to what the sector is experiencing and the things that can be arranged not only in the short term but also in the long term so that, when it is planning, it can see where society is heading and where it can take it with all stakeholders.
The MDA and the Opposition have met on several occasions and communication is constant, both formally and in respect of all the sectors the MDA represents.
Replying to Dr Delia’s introduction, Mr Chetcuti remarked that in the eight years since the MDA had been established the entire nation, across the board, had benefited. The MDA has always kept its lines of communication open with both the government and the opposition, promoting the development of the industry in a more professional manner.
Mr Chetcuti then gave its analysis of the excellent state of the local economy, the MDA’s initiatives both locally and overseas, even through the pubic private partnership, PropertyMalta Foundation, and touched on a number of its proposals for the 2019 Budget.
The MDA has no doubt that the current economic momentum will be maintained. Its recent foray to Dubai with the PropertyMalta Foundation had led to concrete interest from potential investors who are visiting the country next week. Despite any arguments between the two main political parties, it is essential that Malta’s image abroad should remain untarnished.
When the MDA was in Sicily last month to sign an MOU, they were informed that Sicily is still struggling with its bad reputation years later.
Mr Chetcuti quoted a study the MDA commissioned that showed that countries like Croatia, Spain, Greece and Italy are in direct competition for Malta’s business. Among its recommendations for the 2019 Budget are:
- the need for long-term planning;
- having affordable property for the Maltese;
- safeguarding the common good, ensuring that not only a handful of people would benefit but the whole population;
- an increase of 20% in the minimum wage to be paid by building contractors to workers who undertook to obtain their Skill Card;
- incentives to private landlords who committed their properties for at least five years for a reasonable monthly rent; and
- a private-public partnership to create the supply of dwellings of around 60 m2 to be rented for €300-€400 a month.
10 October 2018