Fifty-nine luxury 5 series BMWs being used for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting were auctioned with the funds given to charity.

When the Commonwealth came to Malta eight years ago, the running joke was that the route used by dignitaries was easily discernible... it had fresh tarmac. Roads leading to Għajn Tuffieħa, where the summit took place, were done up in what was a lasting legacy of the Commonwealth Head of Governments Meeting (CHOGM).

So when Prime Minister Joseph Muscat announced that CHOGM will again be held in Malta in 2015, touting it as an opportunity to create an economic spin-off, many immediately thought “roadworks”.

Freshly done roads and a massive clean-up campaign to get the country prim and proper to host such a major event – the Commonwealth consists of 53 states – are positive spin-offs, according to Alan Camilleri, who was responsible for logistics in the 2005 summit.

“If every excuse is a good excuse to make things happen then it is fine,” he said with reference to the roadworks at the time.

But roads were not the only spin-off. Held in November, the 2005 summit boosted hotel occupancy during the tourist season’s shoulder months, a quiet period for the sector, he added.

Mr Camilleri said that with some 4,000 guests staying for almost a week, the event also left a positive economic impact in terms of higher consumption.

No study was ever conducted to quantify the economic impact by CHOGM but audited accounts showed that the summit cost nearly €6 million, of which some €850,000 came from private sponsors. The government also recouped €650,000 in VAT payments.

Mr Camilleri was not in a position to say whether the benefits outweighed the costs but noted that throughout the week Malta received a lot of positive exposure in global media.

“Sri Lanka got a lot of exposure, maybe not the right exposure, but the truth is that it would not have been in the news had it not been for CHOGM,” he said.

For economist Lino Briguglio the exposure and prominence in foreign news networks is a major spin-off.

“The hundreds who come will spend money during their stay and will possibly encourage family and friends to visit,” he added.

Malta will be showcasing its assets, including the fact that it is a safe place to live and visit. This is unquantifiable economically

But it is the positive political image Malta will gain from the event that is possibly the biggest impact of CHOGM, according to Prof. Briguglio.

“Malta will be showcasing its assets, including the fact that it is a safe place to live and visit.

“This is unquantifiable economically because it is the impression hundreds of people will be taking back with them,” he said.

Prof. Briguglio believes that although a summit like this will come at a high cost, the rewards outweigh the outlay.

Malta stepped in to organise the 2015 summit after Mauritius backed out as a consequence of its prime minister’s decision not to go to Sri Lanka in protest at alleged human rights breaches there.

Sri Lanka is accused of gross human rights violations against the minority Tamil community in the final stages of the military conflict in 2009 that brought an end to 30 years of civil war.

Sri Lanka denies the accusations.

But for Alternattiva Demokratika deputy chairman Carmel Cacopardo, Malta’s offer to host the next CHOGM meeting instead could be interpreted as condoning human rights abuse in Sri Lanka.

“AD considers it appropriate to have the invitation reconsidered and withdrawn in solidarity with Sri Lanka’s human rights victims,” Mr Cacopardo said.

ksansone@timesofmalta.com