The Big Leap Forward

By: Joseph FX Zahra
March 2006
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A Changing Malta. These are only three out of many signs of a changing Malta. First shot: new property development in the luxury apartment and commercial sectors in the St. Julians, Sliema, Ta Xbiex areas targeting quality residents and office tenants, and quality shoppers. Second shot: an entry of new foreign companies setting up locally to trade internationally, including captive insurance set ups, financial institutions, e- gambling and e- commerce operations, back office and specialized customer service call centres... And these are joining a number of new ventures established by Maltese young entrepreneurs in the field of software development and other specialized IT applications. Third shot: a new generation of young professionals, educated in Malta and abroad, engaged in managerial, executive and specialist positions working around the clock, with an energised work ethic that it result orientated and Anglo- Saxon in character and style.

Concrete blocks, commercial activity and changing work behaviour are indeed the signs of a fast modernising country and reflective of an optimistic business community with ambitious aspirations and visions for the island. This is the private business sector which has clearly made its mind that Malta is a worthwhile country to invest in. This activity is taking place within a wider scenario of a restructuring manufacturing sector, and a fast changing tourism sector.

A manufacturing sector which is moving towards manufacturing services, with facilities set up on the island for product development and design, and research. A tourism sector which is moving speedily away from mass tourism towards special interest, meetings and conference business. A changing scenario where more European tourists are visiting us more frequently but for shorter stays, with interests that go beyond our sun and sea. A tourist with different demands and priorities for his stay here, and who needs to be catered for differently. Add to this the number of foreigners purchasing a property on the island, willing to live away from a European city centre but close enough to return to their work and business during the week. A new phenomenon of a commuting foreign community, residing in Malta and working in London, Manchester, Brussels, Milan or Frankfurt. It is interesting that the two major focal point organisations that target, promote, develop and monitor this business activity, Malta Enterprise and the Malta Tourism Authority are still painfully adapting to these changing needs as administrative bureaucracies are not flexible enough to adjust, and the recent move towards centralization by Government is impeding the necessary empowerment and initiative in these Institutions which is so necessary in making them respond more assertively to the changing market demand. There is no doubt that the solution lies in even slimmer, more focused organisations led by dynamic, sharp-end leaders with enough autonomy to give them flexibility and speed in response.

Indeed, these are enough signals that show that something is happening. That the new concrete blocks being constructed around the harbours of Malta are different from the ones built in Bugibba and Marsascala in the eighties. A sign that Malta is aspiring to become a different country, targeting a different customer. Implying that the countrys human and physical infrastructure needs to be restructured to satisfy these new demands.

Maltese society in general has however to catch up with this new reality. The oasis of great initiative of the few, has to be sustained by a big leap that still needs to take place in Maltas institutions and infrastructure. A big leap forward which is a quality leap forward in our thinking, attitude and behaviour.

Yes, our educational system needs to be better tuned to the requirements of this new society. A different way of looking at the arts and sciences. A humanities culture that provides young people with determined opinion and initiatives that contribute to the socio- economic development of the country. More young people who do not stop at secondary education, but who will move on to tertiary education provided by our University. More vocational programmes, adult education programmes, and structured continual personal development programmes for people in all professions and specializations to guarantee relevance in their skills and competencies to the demands of a changing world. This is the role of MCAST and other vocational institutions for which there is still great potential in Malta. The over arching focus needs to be made on research, innovation and design.

Meanwhile, we need to rediscover our language skills, focusing again on written and spoken English. This language has been one factor in our competitive matrix, but regrettably has been fast sliding down in our education priorities.

More emphasis on science and technology and the creation of the right market price mechanisms that will trigger a bigger supply of science graduates in this educational sector. Science has to be pushed high up on our priority list as the demands of the new society are clearly moving in this direction.

Broadcasting has also the important role of educating and forming the publics thinking, attitudes and behaviour. Much can be said about the poverty in this sphere today as sensationalism has taken the upper hand. A pity, when one of the strongest tools to form public consciousness, values and opinions is not being used properly to develop the right milieu for a modern world Malta. It is more a matter of content and style than technology. It is a matter when professional broadcasters should act and behave as professionals, and not relax their standards to cater for a mass target audience. Broadcasting can assist in providing understanding and knowledge on activities that are necessary at this stage of economic progress. To give a few examples, programmes on the formation and management of business and case studies of successful business start ups. Programmes aimed at the introduction of an achievement and entrepreneurial culture. These programmes will be complemented by others aimed at creating an appreciation of the arts, culture and heritage. Practical, general education programmes that give tips on courtesy, car driving, dress sense, objective appreciation and critique. Discussion programmes that will reflect an emerging newly educated public, conducted in a civilized manner, reflecting values that appertain to our people.


But we also need to further invest in our physical infrastructure. Malta boasts of a state of the art information technology infrastructure. The truth in this lies in the big investments that continually need to be made in this sector. This was one of the biggest achievements of the country since the nineties. There is no doubt that it will remain high on the countrys priorities. But let us look at air travel. We do require more frequent flight connections with city centres, and at less expensive fares. A small island needs strong bridges to establish smooth mobility of incoming and outgoing travellers. It is necessary for the big leap, as this idea is based entirely on bigger volumes of business and residents travel, flowing to and from Malta. Perhaps this is a prerequisite for the commercial viability of the new properties and commercial spaces that are being constructed on the island.

Challenges indeed! But challenges that government and private enterprise are prepared to take. The dialogue between these two protagonists in this big leap forward has to be structured in a manner that defines the vision of Malta, its long term objectives, the relevance of its economic sectors over the coming years. A think tank approach that will provide the research and concepts to feed the vision; a project management approach to make this happen.