Permanent Residence Scheme to be re-launched – PM

Addressing the Labour Party’s Annual General Conference on Sunday morning, the Prime Minister, Joseph Muscat said that the Labour Party had been elected to Government as a movement and it would keep its promise to govern as a movement.

The Prime Minsiter said that Government would be shortly looking again at the Permanent Residence Scheme, for it to be re-launched as soon as possible. The scheme had attracted foreigners to the islands with investments, however this had been changed in the previous Government. He said that somebody who had come to Malta to invest, has to queue for an ID/ residence card.

A Commissioner for the Simplification of Administrative Procedures is to be appointed in the coming weeks. The PM said that he will have a unequivocal mandate from the people to reduce the bureaucracy.

A Government Agency will cover all related services of citizenship, visas, and residency. It will also attend to business matters for both Maltese and foreigners.

In order that the Government keeps in regular contact with the public, Cabinet members would hold meetings with the public on a regular basis, ideally twice a year. Dr Muscat also insisted that the election was only a starting point which had already been left behind. “The Government was now facing heavy responsibilities,” he said.

He said that the Government will “kick start the economy” by opening two casinos, this includes one in Gozo, a cruise liner terminal project for Gozo and launch an expression of interest for regeneration of the ship building area in the Grand Harbour and land reclamation.

Maltese and Gozitans are looking to the Government to solve the serious problems afflicting the country, that include health, housing, work conditions, national security, employment in Gozo among others.

The Prime Minister said that the Government would uphold its responsibilities and achieve its goals, despite the heavy burden.