READ IN FULL: Joseph Muscat’s New Economic Analysis In Wake Of Pandemic
READ Joseph Muscat’s economic analysis here
Former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat recently assessed how the COVID-19 pandemic will impact consumer behaviour in Malta, and Lovin Malta is publishing the 11-page document in full.
‘The Office of Joseph Muscat’ carried out an economic analysis based off the results of a survey carried out for him by Sagalytics, a company owned by data researcher Vincent Marmara.
Based off the results, aggregate consumption will fall by around 34%, rising to 81% for services and goods that bring people in closer proximity with others – namely restaurants, cafeterias, retail outlets, domestic and foreign holidays, public transport, ride hailing and taxis.
Consumption will then rise significantly if and when a vaccine is made available, but it will still remain lower than pre-pandemic levels – by around 6% on aggregate and by around 10% for the aforementioned goods and services.
This is the second economic analysis Muscat has carried out in the wake of the pandemic, his first known activity since he resigned as Prime Minister last January in the midst of a political storm which implicated his former chief of staff Keith Schembri in the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia.
Muscat is not an economist himself, having a Doctorate of Philosophy in Management Research, but he is widely credited with leading Malta through an economic boom between 2013 and 2019.
Caruana Galizia’s relatives warned that Muscat’s economic notes are an attempt at reputation laundering.
“Joseph Muscat is a disgraced former Prime Minister whose office led the grand corruption leading up to Daphne’s assassination and then covered up for the criminals involved in her murder,” the late journalist’s sister Corinne Vella said. “The only public account he should give is the one that will lead him to jail. Anything else is reputation laundering.”
Contacted by Lovin Malta, Marmara said he was approached by Muscat to conduct a survey, just as he is regularly approached by several politicians and businesspeople.
“I accept all types of clients as long as they don’t manipulate the data,” he said.
“The only point of this survey was to provide information, which I think will help businesses realise how they can adapt to these circumstances,” he said. “This survey gives a snapshot of the situation and I believe it should be carried out again after a few weeks or months.”