Government's committment to Information Technology

The ad hoc committee set up by Government after 8 January 1997 was assigned to review the National IT Strategy in line with current developments and realities and to establish priorities and advise Government how to restart the process which had stalled in July 1995. This happened because the previous Administration had failed to set up a structure to direct and manage the process.

Although certain initiatives had been carried out in the education sector, they are only a small fraction of that which was proposed in the original document. In fact the education plan was to be carried out over a period of 10 years. It is absurd to claim that after two years most of the proposals had been secured.

The original National Strategy of Information Technology document was published in October 1994. Between that date and October 1996 , a period of around two years, the Nationalist Government with its 'commitment to Information Technology' could not come up with the necessary structure to ensure that the process developed and was sustained: two important years which could have given our nation a head start in this important national development.

Mr George Pullicino who was one of the persons responsible for this failure is now maintaining that commitment to prioritise information technology needs to continue. It is this Government's policy to take action and implement this process in a timely and sustainable manner rather than politicising and instrumentalising this crucial socio-economic development initiative.

Since the Prime Minister's meeting with the Chamber of Commerce on 8 January 1997, an ad hoc committee set up to review the original document has conducted seven meetings. By 20 February 1997 a report was submitted to Government with the relevant proposals. Within the coming weeks Government intends to present this report to Cabinet and Parliament to establish a national policy on how information technology can be used as a strategic socio-economic tool for national development and to increase Malta's competitivity in the global market.

As Malta's Prime Minister stated during the review presentation that speed in this matter is of the essence. In spite of the time lost by the previous Administration, the Government feels confident that the local stakeholders of this national initiative shall rise to the occasion and turn this initiative into a successful national development process.

L-impenn tal-Gvern æall-Informatika

Il-Kumitat ad hoc imwaqqaf mill-Gvern fit-8 ta' Jannar 1997 næata d-dmir li jirrevedi l-Istrateíija tat-Teknoloíija ta' l-Informatika bi qbil ma' úviluppi u realtajiet attwali u mbaæad iwaqqfu l-prijoritajiet u jaætu parir lill-Gvern kif jería' jibda l-proðess li kien waqaf f'Lulju 1995. Dan íara æaliex il-Gvern Nazzjonalista kien falla fit-tentattiv li jibni struttura li biha jmexxi l-proðess.

Æalkemm ittieódu xi inizjattivi fil-qasam edukattiv dawn huma parti úæira biss ta' dawk li kienu proposti fid-dokument oriíinali. Fis-sew, il-pjan edukattiv kellu jitwettaq fuq medda ta' 10 snin. Hija óaía bla sens li tæid li wara sentejn dawk l-æanijiet kienu ntlaóqu.

Id-dokument oriíinali ta' l-Istrateíija Nazzjonali tat-Teknoloíija ta' l-Informazzjoni xxandar f'Ottubru 1994. Bejn dak inhar u Ottubru 1996 - perijodu ta' madwar sentejn - il-Gvern Nazzjonalista bl-"impenn" tieæu b'kollox æall-Informatika ma rnexxilux joóloq l-istruttura meótieía biex jiúgura li l-proðess jiúviluppa u jkun sostnut. Intilfu sentejn importanti li setæu taw lin-nazzjon taæna vantaíí qawwi f'dan l-iúvilupp nazzjonali importanti.

Il-Perit George Pullicino li kien wieóed minn dawk responsabbli æal dal-falliment issa qieæed ióeííeí æall-impenn biex tinæata prijorità li l-informatika tant teótieí biex tkun tista' tikber. Hija l-politika tal-Gvern tal-lum li flok ma jippolitiðizza u jistrumentalizza din l-inizjattiva kruðjali ta' úvilupp soðjo-ekonomiku, jieóu azzjoni u jwettaq dan il-proðess f'waqtu u b'mod sostenibbli.

Wara l-laqæa tal-Prim Ministru mal-Kamra tal-Kummerð fit-8 ta' Jannar 1997, twaqqaf kumitat ad hoc biex jirrevedi d-dokument oriíinali u minn dak inhar 'l hawn kellu seba' laqæat. Sal-20 ta' Frar kien tressaq rapport lill-Gvern bil-proposti relevanti. Fil-íimæat li íejjin il-Gvern beósiebu jressaq dan ir-rapport fil-Kabinett u fil-Parlament biex iwaqqaf politika nazzjonali dwar kif l-informatika tista' tintuúa bóala æodda soðjo-ekonomika æall-iúvilupp nazzjonali taæna u biex titkattar il-kompetittività ta' Malta fis-suq globali.

Kif stqarr il-Prim Ministru Malti matul il-preúentazzjoni tar-reviújoni, il-óeffa hija ta' qofol kbir f'dan il-qasam. Minkejja ú-úmien mitluf mill-Gvern ta' qabel, il-Gvern huwa fiduðjuú li dawk li æandhom æal qalbhom din l-inizjattiva nazzjonali se jqumu qawma fuq taæhom u jaæmlu minn din l- inizjattiva proðess ta' úvilupp nazzjonali li jirnexxi.