ISLAND OF INDUSTRY
There’s a rather endearing folk tradition in Malta called il-quccija. On a child’s first birthday, friends and family gather round while the baby is encouraged to pick from a selection of objects placed on the floor. The choice of object suggests what the baby’s eventual career might be. In the old days, on offer were items such as a bible (priest), a pencil (writer), a book (teacher), a boiled egg (lots of children) or a knitting needle (seamstress).
In today’s Malta, il-quccija is still widely practised, only there are new objects now, reflecting the influx of contemporary industries flourishing on this Mediterranean island. Twenty-first century babies might also be offered a calculator (accountant), a computer mouse (IT specialist) or a credit card (banker).
Ever since Malta joined the European Union in 2004, and the Eurozone four years after that, its economy has been growing steadily. “In recent years, Malta has seen high GDP growth, strong employment growth, a budget surplus and a buoyant
