Tuesday, 26th August 2008 - 12:04CET

UPDATED: AD, MLP slam MTA chairman's comments

(Adds MLP statement)

Alternattiva Demokratika today criticised comments by the chairman of the Malta Tourism Authority that the authority believed that the north side of the island needed an area of entertainment to boost tourism, and that the authority's policy was to spread places of entertainment to the north and to develop the coast.

Party leader Arnold Cassola said that in such a congested and overbuilt country as was Malta, the policy of developing the little coastline that was still left free was absolutely preposterous.

Carmel Cacopardo AD Spokesman on Sustainable Development and Local Government, added that the MTA's attitude to the proposal to develop Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando's site at Mistra showed that the MTA did not care about environmental policies.

"Had it cared, it would have noted immediately that the site forms part of a proposal for a Natura 2000 site and hence is protected in terms of the Habitats Directive as transposed into Maltese law."

Mr Cacopardo added that if the MTA intended moving along the path of sustainable tourism in this manner, Malta would be better off without MTA and its leadership.

In his comments, made in court during a hearing on the Mistra case, Mr Mifsaud said the MTA made its recommendations purely from a tourism point of view without considering the environment, which fell within the remit of another organisation.

The Labour Party in a statement this afternoon said that the comments by MTA chairman Sam Mifsud went against any policies of sustainable development.

Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, Labour spokesman on tourism, and Leo Brincat, spokesman on the environment, said public authorities needed to work together, more so as the environment formed an important component of tourism.

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Comments

d.attard (on 27/8/08)

the authority believed that the north side of the island needed an area of entertainment to boost tourism, and that the authority's policy was to spread places of entertainment to the north and to develop the coast.

To my mind this is obscene.

1. Entertainment comes in areas not single stand-alones.
2. Promoting single stand-alones in a ristricted space area such as applies to Malta distroys a key ingredient in Malta's marketing mix.
4. Only a small percentage of Bugibba/Qawra is taken up as quality entertainment hub. Suggesting that one should overspill is amazing.
3. Mistra is a tight Roman port and to even suggest having any kind of entertainment in this area goes beyond incompetence.

Malta needs to be defended.

Liam Kelly (on 26/8/08)

M Farrugia,

To suggest that we build a brand new night club 'whenever we get bored of the old ones' is utterly laughable!

Its just so absurd that people like Sam Mifsud are actually placed in charge of tourism on this island. Do we really want Malta to end up like Falaraki or Ibiza? Do we really want tourists to come to Malta, experiece none of the islands rich culture, make a huge mess, and then leave after 3 days?

We should be valuing and protecting what little countryside and areas of natural beauty we have left. Tourists value an unspoiled, naturally beautiful and preserved environment, coupled with efficient and effective tourism infrastructure in place. Malta has precious little of both of these aspects, and with tourism trends now moving even more to sustainable tourism, surely the MTA needs to start to get its act together and stop trying to attract the wrong type of tourist which comes with continuus and uncontrolled development.

alfred agius (on 26/8/08)

I think that I should ask again where was in all this the Interministerial Committe on Tourism which is chaired by the PM himself. More so if, as Sam Mifsud himself confirms that Francis Zammit Dimech ., Minister of Tourism, knew all about the Report.

No sir, we`re not being taken for a ride ! We still can manage to count 2 +2=4...

m farrugia (on 26/8/08)

We are one of the few countries, if not the only one, not to capitalise on the fact that we are surrounded by the sea. How can one explain that there is not even one decent seaside nightclub in Malta? St Pauls Bay and Qawra's seashore are full of shabby kiosks serving icecream fish and chips.

But no, we enjoy going to Gianpula and Numero Uno, which have been popular for about 25 years now. Is it possible that we are not fed up of these places by now? It is no surprise that Maltatoday, owned by Gianpula's owner was so vociferous over Mistra night club. Probably everyone would have fled to the beautiful setting of Mistra in Summer.

From an entertainment and touristic point of view, there is no doubt that Malta does not capitalise enough one of its greatest assets, the sea.

Franco Farrugia (on 26/8/08)

Sad. All this is very sad stuff. I have already commented that the north side of the island, IN MY OPINION, does not need more entertainment facilities than there already are - in Qawra, St Paul's Bay, Bugibba and indeed, Mellieha. Am I right or wrong in this matter? How can someone say that more entertainment has to be found?

And even if so, do we go and rape virgin landscape and countryside, as is, for the time being, Mistra valley? Does the MTA NOT interest itself in the fac that there can be advantages by having places that remain arable and countryside in Malta, or do we have to build, build, build? Inbatu bil-gebla, ahna, Malta!

A. Zammit (on 26/8/08)

Any serious administration in any other EU country would ask Sam Mifsud to resign immediately.

He clearly has no understanding of 'Product Malta'.

Joe Tabone-Adami (on 26/8/08)

Re. Sam Mifsud's comments in Court, as reported in this page. It would seem that the MTA not only does not know what 'another organization' has to say about the environment, but frankly DOES NOT EVEN CARE! Why don't you get your act straight - or else scram!

vincent a galea (on 26/8/08)

When will the mentality change on these lovely Islands of ours? When are we going to start thinking of UPGRADING the product and not merely add more mediocrity to the already poor state of affairs? When will our minds turn into "MAKE THESE ISLANDS A 5-STAR DESTINATION" mode? Something I have been crying for, for so long! More discos will not necessarily help!! WE HAVE TO ADOPT FAITH INTO THE UPMARKET POSSIBILITIES OF THESE ISLANDS! This will have to entail a lot of professionalism, which we definitely have, unless we allow politics to meddle in these affairs!!!

Michael Briguglio (on 26/8/08)

The MTA Chairman is expressing a short-sighted view based on endless development. This will ultimately kill the goose that lays the golden eggs. The transformation of Malta into a permanent building zone is definately not the step forward if we want a sustainable tourist product. Tourism policy should be based on economic, social and ecological factors, and not on such short-sighted views.

Dion Borg (on 26/8/08)

If this is really MTA's professed strategy - then surely MTA is a liability - both in terms of the funds it expends and also in terms of the proposals it narrow naively endorses!
Pls let's go back to the drawing board.....

martin frendo (on 26/8/08)

definite complete piffle !!! what Malta needs to attract and entertain tourists and maltese alike are nice sandy beaches and parks .. develop these areas in this manner. introduce a minimal fee at least to mantain the areas. but please do not tell me we need to develop entertainment (disco ,clubs and the likes ) further whether be it north south or on an extended port platform.. come on can we ever digest such fiction :-)

Tanya Briffa (on 26/8/08)

Why is it always assumed that tourists need "places of entertainment"? I should have thought we have enough of those. How about the more mature tourists, maybe with families, who appreciate history and art and nature? Does it have to be just clubs? How about restoration and animation of existing but rundown would-be jewels? When are we going to learn to appreciate and make the most of what we have instead of trying to re-invent ourselves all the time?

Alexander Cortis (on 26/8/08)

Absolutely spot-on! Could't have said it better myself!
When you get a supposedly serious and professional authority like the MTA come up with such drivel, it explains why Malta is moving headlong to becoming one vast mass of concrete!
Shame on them!

UPDATED: AD, MLP slam MTA chairman's comments

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