Jobs, jobs, jobs

A lot of issues are being discussed during this electoral campaign - electricity tariffs, unity, corruption, Toni Abela..... But in my opinion, the issue which matters most is the one which is being discussed less - jobs.

One doesn't need to be a genius to realise the importance of jobs. When a household has a safe income, bills can be paid, food can be bought and the level of wellbeing increases. The first people to gain from the job (or jobs) are the members of that household, but they are not the only beneficiaries. With consumerism so much ingrained in us all, the majority of that income is sure to end up circulating in the Maltese economy. This in its turn will make sure that enough funds are generated to sustain the government's spending on social welfare, health, education, etc. Moreover, if this spending is kept under good control the government will be able to lower its deficit and possibly even start registering a balance.

In short, with the creation and consolidation of jobs, every Maltese is set to gain. So why aren't jobs being discussed?

To be fair, the PN has been trying to push the issue of jobs higher up on the agenda. But it is quite obvious, that the party who has been so successful in the past electoral campaigns to set the agenda, has lost its muscle (an issue I will tackle in another post).

The PL, on the other hand, is much more interested in promoting national unity, than showing us how they plan to create more jobs. Of course, the fact that jobs are not discussed serves them well, as this will put the spotlight on, arguably, Gonzi's greatest success - low level of unemployment and the creation of 20,000 jobs. This success is even greater if we consider that the last four years have seen a constant increase in unemployment worldwide, especially in the southern European countries.

The creation of jobs is going to be more important in this legislature as, starting from this year, the retirement age is set to increase. This means there will be fewer jobs automatically available for people entering the workforce for the first time.

The disregard of jobs is perplexing indeed. The cause for this strange local phenomenon could be because we seem to be taking them for granted. If it is so, it is yet another proof of the success of this government. We have to be very cautious however, as it might soon gain more importance in the national agenda. But by then it might be too late.