The Barrakka lift

A total of 180,000 cruise liner passengers will be not coming to Malta any more.

Are we surprised?

Who are we going to blame this time? It's not our fault. It never is. We never blame ourselves when things go wrong.

Whose fault is it?

It is our fault; 100 per cent our fault. We have treated these precious short-term tourists with utter disdain. We have over-charged them by taxi, by karrozzini (horse-drawn cabs) and, according to disclosures by Viset, by coach tours. We have allowed 70- and 80-year-old passengers to walk up Crucifix Hill in the blazing sun because they had no alternative unless they wished to be taken advantage of by various other means of transport.

Tourists, temporary or otherwise are not stupid, contrary to what many obviously think, and they report their feelings with the end result of cruise liners not coming to Malta any more.

What is the matter with us in this country? Why do we allow these things to happen when we can so easily prevent them? Why do we lack the will to control abuse? Not temporarily but on a permanent basis.

The new cruise liner terminal will be ready in a few years time but why have we allowed so many passengers to be so badly treated in the past and why are we allowing them to be treated badly at present?

One of the most important items that should have been installed years ago is the Barrakka lift. This would have, at least, caused less discomfort to the passengers going to Valletta.

There are discussions at present with the Republic Street shopkeepers for them to install the lift. Either they or some other private enterprise could have this lift installed within a few months. Why then are we waiting? Maybe we wish to annoy another few thousand cruise liner passengers! There should be an ultimatum and a time limit set for the lift to be installed. We cannot afford to waste another moment.

This lift will give life to the other side of the harbour and create ferry crossings to the brand new Vittoriosa marina area. Or are we waiting for this development to collapse before we do any thing constructive to help them? Sailors will use the lift, so will tourists, students, Maltese families and, most certainly, cruise liner passengers.

So what on earth are we waiting for? This lift could be a profitable business proposition. Let us issue the tender as soon as possible. Let us not wait another terrible summer. Let us not annoy another single tourist to our islands. They are precious to us and they are getting fewer and fewer mainly due to our total lack of consideration.

The Barrakka lift must be installed by this summer at the very latest. There is no reason on earth why this should not be possible. We must look after our tourists in the best and most courteous manner possible, whether they are here for a day or a week. The Barrakka lift will show them we care.

Tourism and the service industry catering for foreigners visiting our islands already constitute the most important part of our foreign income. Very soon it could be a much more important part. We cannot afford to treat this vital industry with the lack of concern and consideration of the past.

The Barrakka lift will be a small indicator that we are serious in helping and protecting our future livelihood.

What on earth are we waiting for?

Mr Salt is a real estate agent and the outgoing chairman of the Malta Tourism Authority's product planning and development directorate.

(This is the first in a series of four instalments. Tomorrow: The Ta' Qali crafts village.)