Good news for Marsascala

It was a pleasure to read (August 12) that there are plans for a luxury hotel and apartments on the Jerma site. I am now a permanent resident of Marsascala, after being a frequent visitor for 15 years, four times a year. In addition I have teamed up with a Maltese estate agent, with a view to bringing British potential purchasers of Maltese property to the island.

I also have a website which specialises in finding holidays and companions for people who are 50+. In addition, as many of the cruise liners operate from Malta, my members fly to Malta from the UK and pick up their cruises sailing out of Valletta, contributing to the economy and generating more tourism interest.

I have no problem promoting Malta, I have studied the history and the climate, and the way of life is appealing to us. Everyone speaks good English, and we drive on the same side of the road. Most Maltese are pro-British and we all get on very well with one another. Lots of Brits would like to live here when they retire. In addition, Malta is still a comparatively safe place to live, unlike the UK with the increase of crime; we often watch Sky News and commiserate.

2010 will be a "massive" retirement year. All the baby boomers born in 1945 will be eligible for their retirement pensions, which with the increase in cost of living in the UK, will not go very far.

Many British visitors to Marsascala over the years are struggling to find hotel accommodation on the south side of the island, and are staying over on the other side, visiting Marsascala as often as they can. Most of the hotels are no longer catering for summer visitors, and with the loss of the Jerma Palace, that sealed Marsascala's fate!

Many visitors to Malta, and particularly Marsascala, and all the business establishments will be delighted to hear that these plans for Marsascala are in the pipeline! Let us hope that they do come to fruition, and very soon!