Prime Minister Robert Abela, in his message for the new year, 2021, said that 2020 was a challenging year. “A year in which we had to confront the biggest challenge since the Second World War, if not the greatest challenge of all time.”

Robert Abela stated that “by March, I want our country to have recovered extensively. By May, I want our country to be business as usual.”

He went on to say that “in Malta, the best qualities of our people have emerged. Solidarity. Love towards one another. National unity. These qualities must remain, even after the pandemic is over.”

Abela, speaking about Gozo, said that it, “was and firmly is, at the very centre of our policies. I truly enjoy speaking about Gozitans and Maltese. In the first legislature, this Government managed to increase wealth per capita for Malta to the same median levels of the EU. I will now see that Gozo goes beyond this milestone as well.”

He added that, “we want Gozo to be a showcase for our economic policies based on the digital switch and the environmental.”

The Prime Minister used his message to express his appreciation everyone, including those in the commercial sector. “Together we made huge sacrifices. We wished for a better tomorrow from the very start. That moment has arrived,” he said.

“We should be proud of all the medical professionals for their unwavering dedication to safeguarding us all,” said the Prime Minister. “We are proud of all the workers ensuring law and order – the frontliners coming from all sectors who have given themselves to the service of their country.”

Abela stressed that, “we can now see a better future ahead. We’ve been vaccinating our people for the past five days and we’ve already started to get back to the normality we knew.”

He highlighted that “other countries had to impose heavy restrictive measures, badly affecting the quality of life, after losing control of infections. But we introduced moderate measures which meant that everyday life could go on. We protected lives and livelihoods.”

The Prime Minister pointed out that “instead of tightening finances, we distributed vouchers to all. And, in the next few days, we shall do it again – sending out another round of vouchers.”

“Even in the worse moments of the pandemic, I refused to do anything to lower morale or kill hope with words such as a lockdown,” Abela said. “I have always resisted those who wanted to go in that direction.”

He added, “I will not say that our decisions have been vindicated. I will leave that judgement to the people. But I’m proud, very proud, that today, at the beginning of the end of the pandemic we have managed to keep the country safe medically, economically and socially.”

Robert Abela said that 2021 must be the year in which everyone will start “forging forward steadily to create wealth for people and betterment of the quality of life.”

Top of his agenda is “safeguarding the environment,” the Prime Minister said. “We need to work tirelessly on sustainability. The environment is ours, but it is also for those who will live in our country 100 years from now. We have an obligation to preserve it for them.” The importation of single-use plastic has now stopped, he said.

The Prime Minister expressed his belief that more women are needed as members of Parliament. “I will make sure of this by implementing much-needed changes before the next electoral appointment. I will also continue to make sure women are appointed in executive positions.”

Permalink: “By May, I want our country to be business as usual” – Prime Minister