The new paradigm

It’s been a tough few weeks but we are finally here at the last hurdle. I have endeavoured to make my campaign about substance rather than vibes and about policy rather than vague pledges of change.

As a candidate for the leadership of the Nationalist Party, I am not merely attempting to lead half a country, I am striving to convince a nation that I can and will usher in a brighter and more prosperous future for every single citizen of Malta, even the ones who will never contemplate voting for the PN or me personally.

We stand today not merely on the shores of the Mediterranean, but on the threshold of a New Paradigm.

Our party has always fought to define Malta not by our size but by our spirit, not by our limitations rather by our potential. We are a small nation but from these shores have emerged knights who defended Christianity, traders who connected continents, and citizens who have consistently punched above their weight on the world stage. Today, I call upon that same courage, that same vision, that same determination to chart our course toward this new horizon since Malta’s greatest days do not lie behind us, but ahead of us.

It begins with our environment. We stand at a crossroads where we must choose between reckless development and responsible stewardship. Our precious countryside disappears beneath concrete at an alarming rate, our coastlines face relentless pressure from construction, and our green spaces shrink with each passing year. But we shall not allow short-term profits to mortgage our children’s inheritance. We shall lead by example in preserving our rural heritage while meeting modern needs; ensuring that prosperity does not come at the expense of our ODZ designated land; and protecting our coastlines while creating sustainable communities.

Malta can become the Mediterranean’s model for how small nations balance growth with conservation, transforming our development practices into a source of national pride rather than regret. Let other nations follow where Malta leads in proving that prosperity and preservation can walk hand in hand.

The New Paradigm extends to our economy. We shall no longer be content to depend solely on tourism and traditional industries, vital though they remain. Malta has already achieved remarkable success as a digital hub, attracting technology companies from across the globe to our shores. Our strategic location, skilled workforce, and EU membership have made us the Mediterranean’s technology centre. But we shall not rest on these achievements, we shall build upon them. The question now is not whether we can attract tech companies, but how we can nurture the next generation of Maltese entrepreneurs and innovators.

We must ensure that the prosperity generated by our digital economy reaches every corner of our islands, creates opportunities for all our citizens, and establishes Malta not just as a place where foreign companies operate, but as a nation that breeds its own champions. We shall invest in our people, our start-ups, and our homegrown innovations, transforming Malta from a technology destination into a technology originator.

Our New Paradigm demands excellence in education. Every Maltese child deserves not just to learn, but to excel. We shall build schools that prepare our youth not for yesterday’s jobs, but for tomorrow’s opportunities. We shall ensure that being Maltese means being multilingual, digitally literate, and globally competitive. Our size is our advantage. We can ensure that no child falls behind, that every talent is nurtured, and that every dream is supported.

Within this New Paradigm, we can help broker peace between divided peoples. Our nation’s history of hospitality can make us natural mediators in regional conflicts. Malta can show the world that small nations can have large hearts and influential voices.

But let us be clear about what this New Paradigm demands of us. It asks for commitment. It asks for hard work. It asks for the courage to leave behind the comfortable and familiar to venture into the challenging and unknown.

It asks us to not be complacent and not to despair at what Malta has become but to fight for a better country which we are still in time to create.

To the young, I say: We are all rooting for you. We want to give you the tools to make successfully inhabit the New Paradigm.

To those with experience and wisdom, I say: Share your knowledge, but do not let yesterday’s limitations constrain tomorrow’s possibilities.

To every single Maltese citizen, regardless of party allegiance, I say: You are not just inhabitants of this island, you are architects of its future.