A PM addicted to economic growth? - Tony Zammit Cutajar

While there is little doubt that economic growth is desirable and often commendable, it seems that our Prime Minister is slowly but surely becoming addicted to economic growth. It is now abundantly clear that according to him, increasing our gross domestic product (GDP) should be Malta’s prime strategic objective, notwithstanding the side effects this same growth might have on our present and future quality of life.

Politicians, normally not of socialist leaning, tell us that GDP must grow and must grow at all costs. This is because we are told that GDP growth is equivalent to human progress. It is not.

GDP measures all money-based activity but doesn’t distinguish if the activity is useful or destructive. Let me quote a simple hypothetical example. If you clean your own house and take care of your ageing parents, GDP is not affected. If, however, you hire a cleaner or send your parents to a nursing home, then you contribute to GDP. Any activity that contributes to an increase in GDP is therefore very warmly welcomed by our government.

The government covers many of its failures by hiding behind economic growth. No mention is made of the cost of this growth, nor is this cost...