Sunday, 5th October 2008 - 12:51CET
Big companies investing in Malta
A Norwegian car shipping company, the biggest in the world, intends to bring its headquarters here after it registered five companies in Malta and is currently in the process of registering all its 140 vessels under the Maltese flag, Austin Gatt said yesterday.
Speaking in Gozo, the minister said another company, a Canadian manufacturer of oil exploration valves with several operations in Europe wanted to set up in an EU country and would be building a logistic base in Malta.
He said that the outline development permit for the Smart City project and the permit for the building of the project’s first phase were to be issued next week. This project would employ 10,000 people.
Prime Minsiter Lawrence Gonzi spoke on financial requests currently being made by lecturers saying that although the government wanted to improve lecturers’ conditions, there was a limit. The government’s primary responsibility, he said, was towards saving the careers of young men and women.
On the migration and asylum pact recently agreed upon by the 27 justice ministers in the EU, Dr Gonzi said this was a good pact which would help Malta address the problem.
It would help the country repatriate immigrants who did not have a right to be here, it would financially assist Malta and other countries dealing with the problem and it provided for voluntary initiatives on burden sharing.
The new Opposition leader, he said, was the only one in Europe who argued that the pact should not be signed unless burden sharing was made obligatory.
“Does the opposition leader want some other country to make Malta take some of its immigrants? What kind of approach and political maturity is this?”
Dr Gonzi said that a serious and mature political dialogue was needed at this point for decisions to be taken in the interest of all.
“Let’s put partisan politics aside and look at the big picture,” he invited.
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Comments
"Does the opposition leader want some other country to make Malta take some of its immigrants? What kind of approach and political maturity is this?"
This clearly shows us that not even Dr.Gonzi believes that the immigration pact would work for the benefit for Malta. Gonzi knows that no country would offer itself to carry our burden. I have serious doubts about the proposal of burden sharing. It threatens the perspective of the EU as a sole village. The PM's statement makes me more worried , not even because it shows that he still don't know what the EU consists of but also that his party's stance is still undecided!!
Yes we expect that other countries take some of our immigrants...why not? That's why we are in the EU to share equally with others the good and the bad. Well done to Joe Muscat to stand up for our rights and not being a bootlicker like this government.
We are tired to hear promises of mana coming from the sky and nothing materialises at the end dear Austin Gatt. We are not gullible any more. What about the companies that left Malta (who were supposed to be Smart City members?).
Who says? And what we should do? I agree that wastage is not good, but on the other hand should we live in misery because of this statement? which is false anyhow, Should Africans not strive to better their standards in their countries cause they may bring misery to someone else?
I've heard a different argument that will alleviate their problems. That we should not protect our products against theirs and liberalise trade with Africa. But is this not based on consumption?
For Africa's porblems do not look any further than there. We've learned that a large number of mouths to feed, will decrease the standard. They've still have to grasp this concept, which should have been naturally clear at this age.
Glad to break the routine comments and help people enjoy the bright side of life.
Better to let the eggs hatch before counting your chickens
You asked the wrong question, mate!
They don't need much encouragement.
Sometimes it is better to let sleeping dogs lie.
Well said Mr. Wally Vella Zarb. Fortunately not all people swallow the above naive rhetoric. I thought it was burden sharing, and not burden exchange.
Mr. Zarb clearly outlined the reason why we are the most burdened. But apparently, by this argument, the govt. could not even succeed in making this point.
And it is already being done Dr. Gonzi, Libya is making Malta accepting all of its immigrants. Humiliatingly so.
re flying pigs, have a look at http://www.fpqrp.com/pighist.htm
"On the migration and asylum pact recently agreed upon by the 27 justice ministers in the EU, Dr Gonzi said this was a good pact which would help Malta address the problem."
I'm sorry for our country and children when we you are so naive gonzipn. Its only you and some of your supporters that seem to think so, not the vast majority of the population.
"It would help the country repatriate immigrants who did not have a right to be here, it would financially assist Malta and other countries dealing with the problem and it provided for voluntary initiatives on burden sharing."
As far as the vast majority of Maltese citizens are concerned, NONE of the ILLEGAL immigrants have a right to come or to stay here. So why are you insisting on burden sharing, and voluntary at that, instead of expulsion?
“On the migration and asylum pact recently agreed upon by the 27 justice ministers in the EU, Dr Gonzi said this was a good pact which would help Malta address the problem. It would help the country repatriate immigrants …”.
In the meantime, The Times online poll asked:
Are you satisfied with the Immigration Pact agreed in the EU?
At present responses are:
no 77.9%
yes 14.3%
don't know 6.1%
don't care 1.7%
Admittedly it’s not a scientific poll but it must be significant that, ignoring ‘don’t knows’ and ‘don’t cares’, 84 % think negatively of the EU Immigration Pact’s effects on Malta.
There are many possible reasons for this. Maybe the minister failed to communicate effectively. Maybe the Maltese are so negative minded that they cannot tell a good thing when they see one. But maybe, just maybe, it’s because the Pact is not of benefit to Malta.
Dr Gonzi also said the pact would help Malta to repatriate illegal immigrants. Can he tell us how many illegal immigrants arrived and how many were repatriated since the beginning of 2008? How many does he expect to be repatriated in the 12 months following the pact’s entry into effect?
Clearly, all the 'others' in Europe have more sense than to bind themselves to take upon their system part of our ever-increasing burden.
"Does the opposition leader want some other country to make Malta take some of its immigrants?"
That is, effectively, a pure non sequitur. Malta is already hosting much more than its fair share of immigrants. Whether one considers per capita of the native population, or per square kilometer of the host country area, we already have the highest immigrant density of all the 27 members.
"“Let’s put partisan politics aside and look at the big picture,” he invited."
Yes, Dr Gonzi, why don't we do precisely that and really put Malta's interests and well-being at the top of our National Priorities List?
For once, why don't you listen to the People? We wish you well - but not more than we wish our Beloved Island home well; THAT must necessarily come first, regardless of political affiliation.
Where are all the whiners and moaners now????