It-Turizmu diskuss bejn il-Prim Ministru u l-MHRA

Il-Prim Ministru Dr. Alfred Sant kien il-mistieden ta' l-unur waqt 'Pranzu Gala' tal-'Malta Hotels & Restaurants Association' fil-Lukanda Raddison Bay Point, San Gorg. Is-sur Winston Zahra, President tal-MHRA ghamel diskors ta' merhba u l-Prim Ministru wiegeb b'diskors ta' policy dwar l-industrija tat-turizmu.

Id-Dipartiment tal-Informazzjoni qed ixandar iz-zewg diskorsi.

IL-PRIM MINISTRU DWAR L-IMPENN TAL-GVERN LEJN L-INDUSTRIJA TAT-TURIZMU

Il-Prim Ministru Dr. Alfred Sant tkellem dwar l-impenn tal-gvern lejn l-industrija tat-turizmu f'diskors li ghamel lill-membri tal-'Malta Hotels & Restaurants Association' fil-Lukanda Raddison Bay Point, San Gorg. Il-Prim Ministru qal li jqis l-industrija tat-turizmu bhala l-magna ta' l-ekonomija nazzjonali.

Dr. Sant qal li hu u jfassal il-Budget, il-Gvern kellu f'mohhu li jizgura li s-setturi produttivi ta' l-ekonomija ma jitghabbewx b'aktar problemi. Sabiex nohorgu mill-problema ta' Budget ta' deficit li qeghdin inhabbtu wiccna maghha, kien jehtieg li s-settur privat tat-turizmu u l-manifattura jqum fuq riglejh u jibda jahdem.

Il-Prim Ministru qal li l-imgieba politika tal-gvern matul is-sena li ghaddiet kienet mahsuba biex taghti wisa' shih lill-industrija turistika biex timxi 'l quddiem. Dr. Sant qabel mal-President tal-MHRA li dan kien jidher miz-zjieda ta' 6% fl-ghadd tat-turisti li kien ifisser zjieda ta' bejn 11% u 12% fid-dhul u minn 7% sa 8% zjieda fil-ghadd tan-nies jahdmu fl-industrija matul is-sena li ghaddiet.

Il-Prim Ministru zied jghid li l-Gvern kien marbut li jaghti l-appogg shih tieghu lill-intraprendituri li jahdmu fi hdan il-perspettiva li jippruvaw jaghmlu l-industrija aktar kompetittiva, aktar attraenti u b'aktar hila li tidhol fi swieq godda. Dr. Sant sahaq li din l-importanza kollha qed tinghata lill-industrija turistika ghaliex hija l-aktar hidma li ghandha skop biex tkattar ix-xoghol, il-gid u metodi godda ta' kummerc f'Malta.

Il-Prim Ministru semma t-twaqqif ta' Awtorita' gdida tat-Turizmu u sahaq illi l-abbozz tal-Ligi fuq is-suggett kien fi stat avvanzat u ghandu jitqieghed fuq il-mejda tal-Parlament fil-ftit gimghat li gejjin. Dr. Sant qal li wara hsieb twil dwar l-istanzjament tal-flus lill-Awtorita', rebhet il-prudenza ghaliex il-fatturi differenti kollha jridu jiksbu ekwilibrju.

Dr. Sant sahaq fuq il-htiega li l-gvern jaghti aktar u aktar servizzi fis-snin li gejjin billi juza l-flus li wara kollox jigu minghand ic-cittadini li jhallsu t-taxxi. Huwa qal li l-Gvern kien qieghed irawwem zviluppi godda fis-settur turistiku fosthom id-dhul ta' casinojiet godda, il-bini ta' facilitajiet tal-jottijiet u l-ftuh ta' kors gdid tal-golf li lkoll jghinu biex ikabbru l-potenzjal turistiku f'Malta minghajr ma jkun hemm il-htiega ta' dipendenza fuq l-appogg finanzjarju governattiv.

Il-Prim Ministru tenna li l-perspettiva tal-gvern fuq it-turizmu hija li jikseb aktar waqt li jonfoq anqas. Dr. Sant wera l-ottimizmu tieghu billi semma dak li kisbet l-Organizzazzjoni tal-Posta li giet immodernizzata bin-nefqa ta' Lm300,000 meta l-gvern ta' qabel kien ghazel li jidhol ghan-nefqa ta' Lm3,000,000.

Il-Prim Ministru sahaq li s-settur turistiku jrid jikseb aktar b'anqas sehem u flus minn naha tal-Gvern. Dr. Sant semma l-idea l-gdida migbura fil-lingwagg tal-Commonwealth bhala 'shubija ghaqlija' li biha l-gvern u s-settur privat jahdmu flimkien b'aktar heffa, b'anqas infieq u b'rizultati ahjar.

Dr. Sant zied jghid li l-Gvern qieghed jizviluppa ideat godda bhal dawk mahluqin mill-Project Initiatives Group li hareg b'ghadd ta' progetti li l-gvern jista' jghaddihom lis-settur privat halli jitjieb il-prodott turistiku. Il-Projects Group fost progetti ohra ressaq l-idea ta' Terminal ta' vapuri tal-passiggieri li jkun jista' jinbena fuq bazi ta' settur privat.

Bi strategija ta' prodott, il-gvern holoq ideat godda bhalma huma facilitajiet tal-jottijiet, korsijiet tal-golf u l-izvilupp tal-Forti Sant'Anglu flimkien mal-Ordni ta' San Gwann li minnu jinholqu ideat turistici bhal prospett li jkollna tliet kazinojiet f'Malta. Il-Prim Ministru saóaq li dawn il-proíetti íóandóom jinholqu mis-settur privat li jmexxihom ukoll.

Il-Prim Ministru qal li Malta ghandha l-ahjar kundizzjonijiet ghal shubija ghaqlija bejn il-gvern u s-settur privat f'dan il-qasam. Malta ghandha t-talenti, il-hila u l-kuntatti li jghinu lill-industrija turistika biex tohloq ideat godda fi hdan l-istruttura shiha ta' l-ekonomija. Fl-ahharnett Dr. Sant assigura lill-membri tal-MHRA li jsibu l-ahjar ambjent li fih jistghu jwettqu hidmiethom, u jsibu Ministru li jaghtihom widen, u fuq kollox Prim Ministru li jismaghhom kull meta jkollhom problemi xi jqanqlu, kwistjonijiet x'jiddiskutu u suggerimenti xi jressqu.

THE PRIME MINISTER ON GOVERNMENT'S COMMITMENT TO THE TOURIST INDUSTRY

Prime Minister Dr. Alfred Sant dwelt on Government's commitment to the tourist industry when he addressed members of the 'Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association' at the Radisson Bay Point Hotel, San Gorg. The Prime Minister said he considered the tourist industry as the locomotive of the national economy.

Dr. Sant said that in designing the Budget, Government had in mind to ensure that the productive sectors of the economy would not be burdened with more problems. In order to get out of the Budget deficit problem facing us as a country it was necessary for the private sector in tourism and manifacturing to get off and work well.

The Prime Minsiter said that Government policy moves over the last year were designed to give full space for the tourist industry to move forward. Dr. Sant agreed with the MHRA President that evidence that this came about lay in the increase of 6% in tourist numbers which meant an increase of about 11% to 12% in tourist income and a 7% to 8% increase in people working in the industry over the past year.

The Prime Minister stated that Government was committed to give its full support to all enterpreneurs who are working within the perspective of seeking to make the industry more cost competitive, more attractive and more able to penetrate new markets. Dr. Sant insisted that so much importance is attached to the tourist industry because it is an activity with more scope than other areas for promoting employment, prosperity and new ways of doing business in Malta.

The Prime Minister referred to the establishment of the new Tourism Authority, stressing that the draft law on the subject was well advanced and should hit the parliamentary sticks within the next few weeks. Dr. Sant revealed that after long considerations on the funds to be allocated to the Authority, prudence won the day because all the different factors had to be balanced.

The Prime Minister emphasised that Government's perspective on tourism was to do more and better with less. Government was determined to do better. Dr. Sant exhibited his optimism referring to the Postal Organisation which was modernised at the cost of Lm300,000 when the previous Administration had set out to take the Lm3,000,000 option.

The Prime Minister insisted that the tourist sector must do better with less government input and cash. Dr. Sant mentioned the new idea encapsulated in what Commonwealth jargon defined as 'smart partnerships' by which Government and the private sector worked together doing things faster, cheaper and better.

Dr. Sant added that Government was trying to develop new ideas like the one spinned off by the Project Initiatives Group that came out with a number of projects that could be hived off by Government to the private sector to improve the tourist product. The Projects Group submitted, among other projects, the idea of a terminal for cruise liners that could be developed on a private sector basis.

Dr. Sant stressed the need for government to give more and better services in the coming years by using less funds which after all, are paid for by the tax payer. He said that the government was promoting new developments in the tourist sector such as by the introduction of new casingos, the expansion of yacht facilities, the opening of a new golf course that could help to increase tourism potential in Malta without too much reliance on government financial support.

With a strategy of product, Government has developed new ideas such as yacthing marinas, golf courses and the development of St. Angelo with the Order of St. John which might create tourist spinoffs like the prospects of having three casinos in Malta. The Prime Minister insisted that these projects must be realised by the private sector which will also run them.

The Prime Minister said that Malta had the right conditions for a smart partnership between Government and the private sector in this area. Malta has the talents, the skills and the contacts which enable the tourist industry to generate new ideas within the whole economic structure. Dr. Sant finally assured the MHRA members that they will find the best environment within which to carry out their operations, an attentive Minister and also an attentive Prime Minister whenever they have problems to raise, questions to discuss and suggestions to make.

L-Góaqda tagóna hija góaqda li ilha mwaqqfa. Il-laqgóa íenerali annwali li jmiss naóseb li se tkun l-erbgóin waóda tagóna. L-Góaqda twieldet saóansitra qabel ma t-turiúmu f`Malta beda jsir industrija ewlenija f`Malta góax din il-óidma fil-fatt tmur lura madwar tletin sena.

L-góanijiet tal-Góaqda dak iú-úmien, m`góandniex xi ngóidu, kienu xort`oóra minn dawk tal-lum. Il-Malta Hotels andRestaurants Association hija magómula tista` tgóid mil-lukandi kollha ta` Malta u góadd kbir ta` ristoranti. Irrid ngóid li bosta mil-lukandi u bosta mill-investiment - perðentwali góolja minnu u tista` tgóid il-proprjeta` kollha tal-lukandi u r-ristoranti - huma kollha tal-Maltin, u b`hekk jikkostitwixxu l-investiment kollu Malti.

Ix-xogóol ióaddan fuq kollox is-sehem tal-membri tagóna fil-bordijiet kollha li góandhom rabta ma` l-industrija tat-turiúmu, kif ukoll fil-Forum Dwar l-Iúvilupp Ekonomiku. Ikollna laqgóat ta` sikwit mal-Ministru tagóna u íieli ukoll mal-Prim Ministru fi djalogu dejjiemi dwar l-industrija turistika.

Bóalissa ninsabu fi tmiem l-istaíun. Jekk inóarsu lura lejn x`góadda mingóala l-industrija tat-turizmu matul din is-sena inóossu sens ta` sodisfazzjon góax irnexxielna inwaqqfu n-niúla li kienet qabdet l-industrija tul is-sentejn ta` qabel. Issa li l-óerba twaqqfet, nittamaw li it-turizmu jibda tiela` mill-ídid. B`danakollu irridu nibqgóu b`góajnejna miftuóin beraó.

Resqin lejn tmiem is-sena b`úieda ta` madwar sitta fil-mija fil-góadd ta` turisti li jaslu Malta. Irridu ngóidu, iúda, li it-tul tas-soííorn tagóhom sar minn disa` punt tlieta iljieli góal tmienja punt disa` ljieli kull viúitatur li fil-fatt ifisser li waqt li tlajna b`sitta fil-mija fil-góadd, tlajna b`erba` fil-mija f`dawk li huma iljieli ta` okkupazzjoni ta` sodod.

Fil-íejjieni jeótieí inúommu r-rankatura li qbadna óalli l-industrija tagóna tat-turizmu tkun tista` tibqa` miexja `l quddiem. Fil-fatt it-turizmu sar bixra ewlenija tal-ekonomija Maltija. Huwa fatt magóruf li jekk jinúel it-turiúmu, jiííarraf kollox miegóu. Min-naóa l-oóra, jekk jirnexxi t-turiúmu tgawdi l-ekonomija nazzjonali.

Hawn Malta góandna kompetizzjoni qawwija mill-íirien tagóna fin-Nofsinhar, mit-Tuneúija, minn Ðipru, minn Spanja u minn bosta artijiet oóra. Góalhekk góandna ótieía kbira li nagómlu sforz flimkien, ilkoll góalenija, Gvern u impriúa privata óalli nrawmu u nsaóóu din l-industrija importanti.

Jeótiíilna wkoll nibqgóu ninvestu l-flus fit-trawwim ta` Malta bóala destinazzjoni turistika. Jiena nemmen li Malta góandha wisq x`toffri. Jiena nemmen fil-prodott ta` Malta. Nemmen ukoll li matul is-sena li góaddiet sar wisq f`dak li hu úvilupp tal-prodott u l-infrastruttura.

Naóseb li jekk nagómlu sforz kollettiv, nilóqu l-góanijiet góolja li qegóidna quddiemna góall-ftit snin li íejjin.

L-MHRA tilqa b`dirgóajha miftuóa d-dóul ta` l-Awtorita` Maltija tat-Turizmu. Dan jawgura tajjeb góall-industrija tagóna. Qegódin nistennew b`óerqa li tidóol fis-seóó óalli tkun tista` tmexxi l-industrija `l quddiem lejn il-íejjieni.

Nixtieq inrodd óajr lill-Prim Ministru talli tana ftit mill-óin prezzjuú tiegóu, l-aktar f`Jum il-Budget biex íie u ngóaqad magóna hawnhekk u nistiednu jkellem lill-miíburin.