Edward Zammit Lewis, the former Parliamentary Secretary for Economic Growth, who has been entrusted by the Prime Minister to take the helm of an important Ministry – that of Tourism – stressed that a number of important decisions will be taken in the interests of Air Malta, which plays a vital role in the tourism industry.
The national carrier falls under the remit of the Tourism Minister.
But did the Prime Minister not say that the government will not interfere with the carrier’s restructuring?
“Air Malta has its management structure, like any other corporate company, and there will be no political interference in the board’s operations, but this does not mean that certain decisions related to our national airline cannot be taken at a government level.
“The decisions will be taken with the intention of safeguarding Air Malta of which, despite having been at the centre of controversy many a time, it cannot ever be said that it has not had its fair share of successes over the years or that it has not served its purpose – the tourism industry – well,” he said.
The appointment of Dr Zammit Lewis as Minister comes at a time when the carrier will be celebrating 40 years of operations.
“We will celebrate the anniversary of an airline and the employees’ hard work which have led to the company’s successes, but we cannot ignore the fact that we owe the European Commission a detailed explanation of what has been achieved by the airline through its restructuring plan, which is now entering its fourth year,” he said.
Following an in-depth investigation, the European Commission concluded that the €130 million granted in aid to Air Malta for its restructuring is in line with EU state aid rules. The Commission found that the restructuring plan adequately addressed the financial problems of Air Malta and would ensure its long-term viability without continued state support.
As a result, in November 2010, the Commission had authorised a loan facility of €52 million for Air Malta as rescue aid.
Turning to his new role, Dr Zammit Lewis said that the main role of a Tourism Minister is to act as an excellent interlocutor between the private sector and various entities representing the private sector within the industry.
“It would be a grave mistake if one was not sensitive towards the private sector, which plays a vital part in attracting the number of tourists to Malta,” he emphasised.
Asked how he intends attracting quality tourists to the country, in view of the fact that despite statistics indicating that the number of visitors is very positive this does not necessarily mean that the majority are ‘quality’ tourists, he said that he will be more “aggressive” with the Ministries that are indirectly tied to the industry, such as Transport, The Environment and Planning, and Education, for the good of the tourism sector.
“To improve the tourism package as a whole, we need to look beyond attracting numbers, and start targeting quality ones. Therefore, we cannot ignore crucial sectors such as transport, which directly affects tourists, or building aesthetics or cleanliness, for that matter.
“The Institute of Tourism Studies also plays a vital role and I and the Minister responsible for education have made a pact to work together to ensure that our future tourism services are of high quality.
“We need to look at certain occupations, such as that of a waiter, as a career and not as some ‘cheap’ job,” he said.
“It’s useless having a waiter who does not know what is on the menu or what to suggest to patrons.
“It is vital that for quality tourists to come over to Malta, we need to give a quality service,” he added.
Dr Zammit Lewis acknowledges that there has been continuity in the tourism sector, and applauded the joint efforts that have been made in the sector, including the performance of the previous administration in this particular sector.
“The numbers are obviously good, as can be seen from the record number of tourist arrivals that have been registered year after year,” he said, but he did point out that the number of tourists is putting a strain on our infrastructure and the spending power of some tourists is not all that good.
“Therefore, by attracting quality tourists whose spending power will be greater, at least the strain will be more worthwhile,” he explained.
Regarding the Cabinet reshuffle in which he played a central role, to the extent that he was promoted from parliamentary secretary to minister within a period of a year, Dr Zammit Lewis said that the fact that the Prime Minister had assessed his Cabinet and had had the courage to take a decision, so early in the day, shows that he is ready to take a decision no matter what, in the interests of the nation, despite coming under fire from the Opposition who criticised the timing of the reshuffle.
It is no secret that Dr Zammit Lewis is a long-time friend of the Prime Minister. But the two came under fire after they were caught disembarking from a flight to Malta after going to Milan to watch the Champions League match featuring AC Milan against Atletico Madrid, since they flew out of the country to watch the game at a time when the Opposition claimed that its leader was undergoing a trial by the Prime Minister.
Asked if he had been made a Minister on his own merits and not simply on the basis that he is a good friend of the Prime Minister, while also being jokingly asked if he shared the Prime Minister’s support of AC Milan, Dr Zammit Lewis’ initial reaction was to laugh off the suggestion.
“I’m a Juventus fan,” he replied with a smile, but immediately turned serious when replying to the friendship suggestion.
“Let me make one thing clear: I have never abused our friendship and never will. I am not a person who oversteps his boundaries or asks for favours.
“Those who know me are aware of this,” he said, pointing out that being a personal friend of the Prime Minister can work against you at times.
“But your question is quite pertinent since I am conscious of this issue and, if you ask me, this kind of remark is pretty silly and ill-judged, to say the least,” he said.
“It only goes to show that those who make such remarks have not the slightest idea that I am not that kind of person.
“I would hate it if it were the case. God forbid that I would be asked by the Prime Minister to head an important ministry on the basis that I am his friend,” he said.
Dr Zammit Lewis said that it was a complete surprise to him when he learned that he was to be made a Minister.
But enough of football and friendships and back to the serious stuff. Dr Zammit Lewis noted that, in the few days since he was appointed minister, Malta, disappointingly enough, is not on America’s radar in terms of US holiday-makers choosing Malta as their holiday destination.
“Many Americans associate Malta with Italy, or close to Cyprus, or even worse, don’t even know where we are on the map,” he said.
He highlighted the issue due to the fact that he had met a group of influential US journalists who were in Malta a few days ago and who told him that Malta was not a sought-after destination for US travellers.
Turning to his previous success as Parliamentary Secretary, he said that he has left a legacy behind by which those who have replaced him will have the honour of announcing some important foreign investments sometime soon, initiatives which were kick-started by “the team I formed part of”.
Asked to pinpoint some sectors that have thrived under this government, he said that industries such as ICT, remote gaming and financial services are some of these, due to the fact that this government made sure it conveyed the message that it is predictable and it would ensure a smooth transition.
“We cannot afford to be unpredictable, and change things overnight without consulting stakeholders. This has always been our vision and it will not change as long as we will hold the reins of the country,” Dr Zammit Lewis stressed.
Regarding the Labour Party in government ‘Malta for all’ slogan, he insisted that those willing to work with the government, whether or not they are Labour-leaning, can do and have done so, as is evident from the number of people employed with the government’s IT arm, the Malta Information Technology Agency (MITA) and the Malta Communications Authority, who have been kept on board by the Labour Party in government.
“The majority of workers employed by MITA and the MCA are not Labour-leaning individuals: they can confirm for themselves that we do not have a problem working hand in hand,” he said
Last but not least, the man who has replaced Karmenu Vella said that Mr Vella has offered his support by making him aware of any initiatives that had been launched by him.