Minister John Attard Montalto launches "Award for Achievement in Industry"

The Minister for Economic Affairs and Industry, Dr. John Attard Montalto today addressed the Pressduring the launch of the ninth edition of the Award for Achievement in Industry.

Minister Attard Montalto, while thanking the Advisory Committee for the sterling work it carried out last year, explained that the Award is an honour in recognition of the outstanding achievement and success of companies in industry and crafts.

Minister Attard Montalto said that in an increasingly competitive environment Maltese companies must be aware and update themselves with developments taking place in the sphere of industry and trade. He highlighted the need for Maltese enterprises to conform to modern quality management and people development systems while keeping abreast of the widespread technology changes.

With regard to crafts, Minister Attard Montalto stated that one must ensure that the crafts villages at Ta'Qali, in Malta and Ta' Dbiegi, in Gozo, be truly a showcase of Maltese crafts. He mentioned that many complaints are conveyed to him that some tenants at the crafts villages are no craftsmen at all, but sell imported souvenirs and articles. Crafts villages must reflect the true character of traditional Maltese handicrafts. "We must upgrade the level and train more young people in crafts to preserve these charming traditions that form an integral part of our folklore and identity."

While referring to the modernisation of Maltese industry, Minister Attard Montalto said that a conjunction of macro-environmental forces are having a dramatic effect on corporate environments, workplace practices and the labour market. These forces bring along shorter life technologies, a concern for efficiency, a focus on quality outcome and new approaches to training and development of human resources. Information technology and the liberalisation of markets have wrought significant opportunities for competition to develop.

"Developments around us are characterised by global competition, the lifting of protectionist barriers and the trend towards trade liberalisation as the only viable model of sustainable development in the world today. This is the international framework within which the Maltese economy is operating". The Minister explained that the Maltese economy, being an open economy, is vulnerable to external economic forces. Our competitive advantage relies on our resourcefulness and flexibility to adjust, without major shocks, to international competition. Therefore the process of modernisation, will involve, to some sectors of Maltese industry, a root-and-branch overhaul of their operational framework.

Minister Attard Montalto added that the Government recognises the important contribution of international standards and conformity assessment systems. They improve efficiency of production and facilitate international trade. Quality assurance systems, in line with EU standards, should become mandatory in all sectors.

The issue of quality standards clearly underpins the importance of vocational training of human resources. Our country requires a greater stock of qualified and specialised people.

Minister Attard Montalto ended that the Award for Achievement in Industry is now in its ninth year. Some of the Award winners of past editions are worthy ambassadors of Maltese industry. They certainly enhance Malta's credentials in its bid to attract selective foreign direct investment.

Il-Ministru John Attard Montalto iniedi l-"Award for Achievement in Industry"

Il-Ministru ta' l-Affarijiet Ekonomici u ta' l-Industrija, Dr. John Attard Montalto, dalghodu ta konferenza stampa rigward id-disa' edizzjoni ta' l-Award For Achievement in Industry.

Il-Ministru Attard Montalto, filwaqt li rringrazzja l-AdvisoryCommittee ghax-xoghol siewi li wettaq is-sena l-ohra, spjega li dan l-Award hu rikonoxximent ghal kisbiet u successi minn kumpaniji fil-qasam ta' l-industrija u l-artiggjanat.

Il-Ministru Attard Montalto qal li f'qafas ta' ambjent kompetittiv kumpaniji Maltin iridu jzommu ruhhom aggornati ma' l-izviluppi li qed isehhu madwarna fl-industrija u l-kummerc u minn dan il-fatt tohrog il-htiega li l-intraprizi Maltin kollha jkunu konformi ma' sistemi moderni ta' kwalita', zvilupp u tahrig ta' personnel b'aggornament kontinwu mal-bidliet teknologici.

Fir-rigward ta' l-artiggjanat, il-Ministru Attard Montalto sostna li tajjeb li wiehed jizgura li l-villaggi tas-snajja' f'Ta'Qali, f'Malta u f'Ta'Dbiegi, f'Ghawdex, ikunu verament il-vetrina ta' l-artiggjanat Malti. Semma li jaslulu hafna lmenti li x'uhud m'huma artiggjani xejn, anzi jbieghu prodotti ta' souvenirs u xoghol impurtat. Tajjeb li wiehed izomm il-karatteristici ta' villaggi tas-snajja' li jirriflettu l-karattru ta' dak li hu tassew u tradizzjonalment xoghol Malti. "Irridu nghollu l-livell u nharrgu aktar zaghzagh fis-snajja' biex inzommu hajja dawn it-tradizzjonijiet sbieh li jaghmlu parti integrali mill-folklore u l-identita' taghna."

Dwar l-immodernizzazzjoni ta' l-industrija Maltija l-Ministru Attard Montalto qal li fil-qasam ta' l-industrija u l-kummerc dinji jezisti tahlita ta' forzi li qed igibu maghhom shorter life technologies,koncentrazzjoni akbar fuq l-efficjenza u l-kwalita' u metodi godda ta' tahrig u zvilupp tar-rizorsi umani. It-teknologija ta' l-informazzjoni u l-liberalizzazzjoni tas-swieq kabbru l-opportunitajiet ghal kompetizzjoni biex tizviluppa.

"L-izviluppi madwarna huma karatterizzati mill-kompetizzjoni globali, mit-tnehhija tal-protezzjonizmu u x-xejra lejn il-liberalizzazzjoni tal-kummerc bhala l-uniku mudell vijabbli ta' zvilupp sostenibbli fid-dinja llum. Dan hu l-kuntest internazzjonali li fih l-ekonomija Maltija qed topera". Huwa fisser li l-ekonomija Maltija hi wahda miftuha u ghalhekk vulnerabbli ghal forzi ekonomici esterjuri. Il-vantagg kompetittiv taghna jiddependi fuq il-hila u l-flessibilita' li nadattaw irwiehna, minghajr skossi, ghal kompetizzjoni internazzjonali. Ghaldaqstant il-process ta' modernizzazzjoni, ghal xi whud, ifisser tibdila mill-qiegh tal-mod kif joperaw.

Il-Ministru Attard Montalto kompla jghid li l-Gvern jirrikonoxxi l-kontribut importanti ta' standardsinternazzjonali u sistemi li jiggarantixxu l-konformita' ma' livelli stabbiliti. Dawn itejjbu l-efficjenza tal-produzzjoni u jiffacilitaw il-kummerc internazzjonali. Sistemi li jassikuraw il-kwalita', konformi ma' standards ta' l-Unjoni Ewropea, ghandhom jigu mandatorji fis-setturi kollha, sostna l-Ministru.

L-issue ta' standards ta' kwalita' jishaq b'mod l-aktar car l-importanza tat-tahrig vokazzjonali tar-rizorsi umani. Pajjizna jehtieg stokk akbar ta' nies imharrga u specjalizzati.

Il-Ministru Attard Montalto temm jghid li l-Award for Achievement in Industry issa dahal fid-disa' sena tieghu. Uhud mill-kumpaniji rebbieha ta' l-edizzjonijiet passati huma ambaxxaturi denji ta' l-industrija Maltija u certament jghollu l-kredenzjali ta' pajjizna fil-ghan li jigi attirat investiment selettiv barrani.


Test tad-Diskors tal-Ministru bil-Malti