Updated: PL raises questions on aviation services company
Dr Cardona and Dr Gulia speaking at today's press conference.
Updated - Adds Malta Enterprise reaction - The Labour Party said today that the prime minister should give details about a Dutch company, Aviation Cosmetics, which he had said, would set up shop in Malta to carry out aircraft paintwork.
Party investments spokesman Chris Cardona and tourism spokesman Gavin Gulia said that Dr Gonzi had spoken about this company in the same Times debate when he spoke of a major Brazilian company transferring its headquarters to Malta.
Dr Cardona said that Aviation Cosmetics was meant to relocate from Eindhoven and use two hangars in Malta with an investment of €22m. Yet nothing had materialised other than the formation of a company with the minimum share capital possible. He said the company had not observed its contractual obligations with Malta Enterprise and Malta Industrial Parks, and not paid its rent of €250,000 per annum and the guarantee of €4 million. No one has been employed yet.
This episode, Dr Cardona said, further undermined the prime minister's credibility. The same thing, he added, had happened not only for the Brazilian company, but also for SmartCity.
Dr Gulia recalled that the managing director of Aviation Cosmetics had said: “It is a very complex building and at the time the Government wanted us to sign the contract…but we were not quite ready for it.”
He asked what the government's hurry was about.
MALTA ENTERPRISE REACTION
In a reaction, Malta Enterprise said talks were continuing with Aviation Cosmetics on the implementation of this project. The company has been working since May to ensure that it can provide the guarantees necessary for Malta Enterprise to authorise construction works.
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22 Comments
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Jurgen Farrugia
Nov 27th 2012, 15:06
If the PN had to put up a billboard for every company that opened or moved TO Malta, it would have cost them 11,000 billboards. Smart city is a foreign investment from Qatar, where the constrjction works are moving at a very fast pace (according to construction workers working at smart city and doing overtime).Why is the labour party waging a war against the PM? Is this the new way of politics?
John Scerri
Nov 27th 2012, 09:29
PL has every right to point out issues related to unfinished business.
PL has also the duty to inform the public about progress and new ongoing investments as this is never done on one radio and one news .
A HALF TRUTH IS WORSE THAN A LIE .
E Gatt
Nov 26th 2012, 23:37
Labour are incapable of distinguishing between state controlled
economy that they always championed, and free enterprise that
has created wealth and jobs in Malta.
If the directors of companies attracted to Malta, decide to postpone,
or indeed stop their project, then it is their prerogative and not the
prime minister's.
Are we ready to risk Malta's inward investments with amateurs?
David Borg
Nov 26th 2012, 23:11
Are we going to get an aeroplane billboard now? Malta is trying to earn a name as an aircraft register, watch PL bungle that too... whilst still in opposition!
Paul Gauci
Nov 26th 2012, 22:07
It would be better if the Government makes these announcements when everything is settled. Stop taking us for a ride and work for the country's interest rather than for publicity stunts
Luke Bonnici
Nov 26th 2012, 18:21
you can never win with PL .... They could have argued this two-ways ... they could either criticise the government for hurrying too much (as they did) or attack the government for not doing enough ....!! Whatever they do, the government will never win! Let's see what they will do and say in face of market failure and (uncontrollable) market forces when they're in government!
Anthony Paris
Nov 26th 2012, 18:43
I assume the PL will be mature enough not to count chickens before they are hatched. The PN seem to be hell bent on fan fare. Why can't the PN wait till the ink is dry? Are they that desperate for publicity? Of course there will always be companies that promise to come to Malta and later change their minds for whatever reason.
Charles Massa
Nov 26th 2012, 18:17
Buzzieqa ohra ta GONZIPN li infaqet bhal ma kienet Smart City u 6000 impieg, White Rocks Complex, kumpanija kbira Braziljani li wara skoprejna li hadmet 4 Maltin u issa sparixxit. Iz zejt dejjem jitla f ' wicc l ilma
Paul Bajada
Nov 26th 2012, 18:13
Most, if not all, of the companies that GonziPN boasted about and won past elections on have either been non starters or else ran away with the maltese tax payers money! Can you see a consistency here?
Mr David Ganado
Nov 26th 2012, 20:53
That explains why we managed to weather the worst of the world financial storm....Yes, some announced investments did not materialise, but many others did, but you prefer to ignore them.
Joseph M. Grech.
Nov 26th 2012, 17:55
U iva darba ilu ma kellniex noholqu industrija tal-kappar u sfaxxat fix-xejn LOL
Almenu dan il-gvern ghandu lista shiha ta' xoghol gdid minn barra x'juri u mhux korpi biss.
Se noqghodu infittxu x-xahra fl-ghagina ejjew naraw l-istampa kollha.
Hudu pacenzja u almenu qabblu ma' pajjizi ohra ha titkellmu xi haga bis-sens!
Kenneth Williams
Nov 27th 2012, 05:53
Ta l anqas flok kappar ghamel sea malta, air malta mid med bank, bov, sgs, etc etc. mela tiftah halqek qabel ma l anqas biss bdew.
jm busuttil
Nov 26th 2012, 17:43
The mistake that the PL are doing are that they are targeting companies. This will back fire if they will be running the country these same companies and others will not want to be in a midst of political controversy. This is what I call political suicide.
Richard Caruana
Nov 26th 2012, 17:31
Seems that the more the election of a PL government becomes a reality the more such big companies take a step back and watch for developments.
Don't blame them, Labour has never been safe for business, notwithstanding the promise made by JM recently to try and brush it off.
Eddy Privitera
Nov 26th 2012, 18:04
Richard Caruana: So when Gonzi announces a new investment, using your logic, we should understand that the new investment will be coming because they are sure the PL is going to win the election, as opinion polls have constantly shown !
John B. Borg
Nov 26th 2012, 18:23
Check your facts before you rush with your comments Mr Caruana. No less than 40 German companies invested in Malta in the 70s and 80s during successive Labour governments. Some of them are still operating in Malta including Brand International (Playmobil) that employs around 800 persons. And what about SGS, one of Malta's biggest foreign investment?
Mr Tim Ripard
Nov 26th 2012, 21:38
John B. Borg - Brand International (Playmobil) took the decision to move to Malta in 1970, attracted by the incentives offered by a Nationalist government. You should check your facts. The PN did all the work and Labour took the credit but the fact is the PN got them, not Labour. Labour got Deserta chocolate - success kbir!
joe muscat
Nov 27th 2012, 06:48
as Mr John B. Borg said check your facts well , and to add some to the list of Mr Borg , Baxter , Pharmamed ( now Actavis ) , these 2 companies alone employ over 1000 persons.
Mr Mark Borh
Nov 26th 2012, 17:01
Instead of asking questions, PL should be answering questions that several people have, like why should I vote for PL and how will PL improve the day to day running of the country.
m. borg (slm)
Nov 26th 2012, 17:22
I can answer your questions: 1. As matters cannot get any worse but only improve with PL 2. By working to improve the financial and economic aspects without any more wastage on cosmetic projects
scott brown
Nov 26th 2012, 17:32
@ m borg
seems you are too young and naive to speak with such authority about things getting worse. i lived all 16 years under a socialist regime of the 80"s and also the 20 months under the new socialist regime and things were very very much worse. few people changed since then with pl.
Johan zammit
Nov 26th 2012, 16:47
Why not Gonzi PN doesn't stop Giving such empty promises
Please choose the reason of your report below: