The Prime Minister was in Gozo today for the election campaign and visited Merit Precision Tools at Xewkija. Dr Gonzi commented that a number of the employees at the company are in fact graduates from MCAST, where they studied mechanical engineering. The company has a total of 38 employees and is a subsidiary of Merit Malta, which has 25 employees.

Merit Precision Tools manufactures tools which are used by the components industry and supplies companies such as Baxter, Methode and Playmobil. Fifty per-cent of their production is supplied to the local market while the remainder is shipped abroad, mainly to other European countries, switch gear is also manufactured at the factory and is shipped to a total of sixty different countries.

Dr Gonzi said that the level of technology and expertise of Gozitan workers helps to keep Gozo competitive and that the Government’s main aim is to create more jobs for Gozitans and that to achieve this it must focus on education and training.

The Prime Minister added that business start-ups employing at least two people will be able to get tax credits of up to €200,000, whilst a business centre similar to Business First in Malta will also be established at Xewkija to help provide more employment opportunities in Gozo.

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