Labour making SmartCity 'success' its own - Infrastructure Ministry
Following Joseph Muscat's visit to SmartCity, Labour wants to take credit for the project, the Infrastructure Ministry says.
15 January 2013, 12:00am
Staff Reporter
Staff Reporter
1 min read
Labour wants to take credit for the SmartCity project, the Infrastructure Ministry said in a statement issued on Tuesday.
During a visit earlier today, Labour leader Joseph Muscat said a new government would be committed to realising the protracted project and said that Labour's thinking was in line with that of the Dubai-based investors.
In reaction, the ministry said the development was moving "at a fast pace" adding that "Muscat today presented SmartCity as if it was a Labour project in spite of years of harsh criticism."
The ministry added that the private investors had already spent over €78 million on the project, which it described as "the largest technology project ever to come to Malta."
Pointing out the project's positive impact on the country's economy the ministry said the project's impact on the economy was positive, "creating hundreds of jobs in the construction industry and creating room for thousands of technology jobs and other sectors."
During his visit to SmartCity, Muscat said the project was used as an electoral ploy before the 2008 elections but the 7,000 jobs which were promised had never materialised.
Noting that the number of jobs the investors forecast did not materialise because of the international crisis, the ministry added that "every euro invested by the investors is a vote of confidence in Malta and the Nationalist government's policies."
However, the investors are committed to maintain the fast-paced development according to the original plans, because of the "Nationalist government's investment in education," the infrastructure ministry said.
In its final parting shot, the ministry said: "Muscat now wants to make this success his own despite not contributing one iota for long years and doing all it could to obstruct the project."
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How`s that for Gonzi-PN spin,
Joseph said Gonzi-PN had failed to provide the jobs they promised. This is fact.
He then pledged to do his utmost for Smart City to succeed, and described how, reassuring both investors and the Maltese.
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Labour making SmartCity 'success' its own - Infrastructure Ministry. 'Success'? Which success? The thousands of promised jobs? The millions of ewro that were supposed to fall from the sky like manna? The droves of cIT companies that were supposed to invade our country? Oh yes! It slipped my mind. All this could not be realised because of a pumping station! What losers!
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Smart City was an important concept for which we all had high hopes but unfortunately is still to realize its potential.So far it has remained mainly a real estate speculation whereas the hoped for creation of the projected 5000 high tech jobs has remained an unrealized dream. It is one project which I believe has enormous potential and which I feel the PL should immediately focus on when elected to really turn the project into Malta's high tech city . Such a success would advance the image of Malta, create high paying jobs and give a boost to high tech studies at our University. The Faculty of Economics of Amsterdam defines their smart city as a concept and a strategic device to encompass modern urban production factors in a common framework and to highlight the growing importance of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). This is what we deserve and are capable of. I am sure that Dr.Joseph Muscat has all the qualities to drive and steer this project to its full realization. Today's visit clearly indicates such an intention by the PL
Luke Camilleri •
That's Joseph Muscat being WISE and the Infrastructure Ministry being a SMART ALEC!
They have had their time more than 6 years and more than 6 thousand jobs promised - that is being "smart" by PN standards .....pledging and not delivering!
