Malta has a rich maritime heritage but it wasnevertaken very seriously by our politicians.Joseph Muscat, the Maritime historian, is a pioneer of our maritime history and is one of the first who started retelling our rich maritime heritage. However, in order that his work is not lost, maritime history needs to be reinforced and the authorities, starting from Government, should, in earnest, start considering what is going to pot. Except fora brief period, that is, during the first legislature of the Nationalist Government between 1987 and 1992, the maritime sector was never on the political agenda.Back then, Eddie Fenech Adami had appointed Joe Fenech as Parliamentary Secretary for Maritime Affairs and the latterrevolutionized our maritime sector. Thanks to a number of undertakingsat the time not only was a Maritime Authority created, but Malta ended up being the country with the highest number of registered ships in the world.
For unexplained reasons, all the following governments dropped the idea of having Maritime Affairs assigned to a specific portfolio with the result that Malta’s Maritime heritage stopped being on the top of our political agenda. It is time that our Government starts rolling up its sleeves and earnestly takes a look at this sector once again. The impression I get is that the present Government is happy reaping the fruits of past successes but has no ideas of moving forth. The reason is easily explained. Malta lacks a Ministry for Marine Affairs, which is hilarious coming to think of it. The island of Malta lacks a ministry focused on its primary source, the sea. Few realize that Malta’s sea territory by far exceeds its land area.
Malta’s maritime territory is vast;3000 km2.Forroughly, 1 km2 of land we have 10 km2 of sea. Despite the fact that our land territory is 1/10 of our whole area, (our island is 315km2), the land area is administered by 15 ministers and 6parliamentary secretaries. Yet, there is noMinister to look after our Marine environment! Like Malta, Ireland has an extended sea territory; a present of British colonial rule. Ireland too has roughly for every 10km2 of sea, has 1 km2 of land, with the difference, that Ireland is giving maritime heritage due importance and there is a committed ministerresponsible. Why should we not do the same?
Is there not something unique about Malta’s marine history? Is it not time, for our Prime Minister, Joseph Muscat, to take the exampleof the other Joseph Muscat, the maritime historian, and do something tangible about this heritage? Joseph Muscat, the historian has paved the way for the international academic community to start looking and studying our maritime history.Can Joseph Muscat our Prime Minister go one step further? Surely he can if he wishes to.
The lack of an appropriate ministry became apparent during the last administration in more than one instance. The idea was floated of having windturbines in the sea. In the case of Malta, wind turbines may only be considered if they are in the water because of noise pollutionand problems related to space. For the government then, the problem was not environmental but when it came to implementation, no particular ministry could be identified to be responsible for the project.A temporary solution was found and this project was headed by OPM. I foresee the same problem happening now with Government’s proposals for land reclamation. Ideally, such projects should fall underthe Ministry for Marine Affairs. But as in other instances, this too is being followed by the OPM.
The lack of such a specific ministry meant that illogical ideas were aired in the past regarding our maritime territory, such as the one that Malta should have sold or literally rid herself of her maritime territory. This illogical thought has resurfaced again, a few weeks ago, in an Italian newspaper. In the wake of a strong migratory influx, such vast territorial waters were seen as a burden on Malta. It should be remembered that Malta has an obligation to salvage migrants in distress that fall within her territory. Decreasing our sea territory is myopically being seen as a solution to solve the migration problem! If there is one heritage that Malta should treasure from British colonial rule, this is the Island’s sea territory.
It should be pointed out, that the term marine ministry does not only mean the sea. It should incorporate the tourism and urban development of our coastal areas. It is time that we start to think about our coastfrom the sea. As a nation, we have turned our backs to the sea. All our recent urban development around the coast was never undertaken from a maritime perspective but from a land one. We have lost our contact with the sea. We need to start seeing our harbour cities from the sea.Our cities, including Valletta, are today only perceived fortheir sea view. In the past, Valletta was perceived for its land view. It was primarily meant to be enjoyed bylocals and foreigners alike,as they were approachingor leaving Malta by boat.
Valletta’s main entrance was not important during the Knights’ period tothe extent that we lack clear images of our city gateas it was during that period. The main gate wasPorta del Monte (Victoria Gate). It was the gateway from the city to the sea and vice versa.For the Knights, land was an extension of the sea. Today, we, as a nation, have the opposite view. We see the sea only as an extension of the land.
As a nation, we should “thank”first the Republican French and the subsequent EnglishImperialism afterwards, for deconstructing our naval history. Both powers saw Malta as a land territory rather than a sea power. Both powers appointed military men, and not admirals, to rule the island. Our history then, was different from that of Gibraltar, another English colony, where navaladmirals were appointed as governors of this peninsula.
Today, our ministries and government agencies continue torepresent this bleak reality. It is time that Government sends a clear signal and through the correct reading of history, understands that Malta’s success is tied to its exploitation of the sea. Without the sea, our island’s history would be irrelevant and we would not be standing where we are now.
I am sure that such a Ministry would have a number of legal issues that would need to be tackled but then so does any Ministry. There are still a number of legal issues regarding Hurd Bank, the underwater reef 12 nautical miles off Jerma point. Such aministry would be responsible for all surveys related to maritime affairs as well as, the urban regeneration of our harbours. Oil exploration and fisheries should fall naturally within such a ministry. But, a marine ministry is more than that. The creation of such a ministry wouldmean having a proper centralizedmaritime department with experts from different disciplines working together. At present, some of these departments exist but are dispersed, within different ministries. In some cases, important departments are literally understaffed for those areas related to the sea. Otherministries and departments, which cater for marine affairs are not really concerned or focused on this subject matter. Basically, there is no focused administrative unit responsible for the overall maritime contingency and consequently there is no proper budget to cover maritime affairs.
We pride ourselves of educational systems but how about setting up a proper ‘naval’ college?In the past there were some attemptsbut much more needs to be done if Malta wants to capitalize also on this facet. We have lost the Dockyard and its school. A tradition going back over 600 years of history that was barbarically destroyed, thus our skilled and semi-skilled men in the sea trade have gone to the dogs. And please let us stop accusing the Labour Party or the Nationalist Party for the dockyard debacle. Both have had their fair share of guilt. Perhaps, the lack of a proper marine ministry could be another explanation for such a loss to our country.
Undoubtedly there are many advantages from the setting up of such a Ministry. It would be the right tool, if headed by the right person, to offer fresh strategic visions in this sector. As a nation, we need to stop seeing the sea as a barrier but we need to see it as a resource not just restricted to fish farms and monstrous liners. The sea is an element that goes beyond such confines. A Ministry for Marine Affairs would be the best tool to introduce a fresh ethos crying out to be defended.