The idea of floating billboards has been indefinitely suspended, Transport Malta confirmed to The Malta Independent today.
The indefinite suspension follows the public outrage which broke out after The Malta Independent on Tuesday broke the story about plans to have floating billboards in more than 40 bays all over Malta, Gozo and Comino.
The news sparked public outrage, online petitions and Facebook pages to boycott companies advertising on these billboards.
Asked to clarify about the expression of interest, TM said that this was launched in August of 2015 following public procurement regulations. Four companies applied in September 2015 and these were chosen.
“The floating billboards were to be set up within the perimeter of swimming zones. Transport Malta sets up 50 swimming zones in popular swimming locations around the Maltese Islands each summer. The swimming zones cordon off an area where boats cannot enter to make it safer for swimmers. Thousands of swimmers use them each year. Local councils and others constantly send requests for new swimmer zones to be set up. Through the floating billboard initiative, entrepreneurs would have paid to have small floating billboards on the perimeter of the swimmer zones, helping to lower the cost,” the spokesperson explained.
In a statement, the GRTU said it is pleased to note Transport Malta’s decision to suspend plans to install floating billboards in response to concerns raised by GRTU and the general public. GRTU believes that such approach reflects the way government should operate through consultation and listening to issues brought forward by social partners and constituted bodies.
GRTU has lamented over the way floating billboard plans had been in the pipeline while a new legal notice on billboards and advertisements on land had tightened the marketing and advertising sector through immediate enforcement. Plans to go ahead with floating billboards did not tally with GRTU’s agreement with government to go into a consultation process over billboards and advertisements regulations.
Immediate action taken by the Ministry has avoided any unnecessary potential harm to the business sectors concerned. GRTU commends Minister Joe Mizzi’s actions to react to needs and concerns raised. This is a clear example of how consultation with social partners would result in laws and decisions that make most sense, reflecting industry and public needs. It is also however a clear example of a government willing to listen by taking action on such concerns, the GRTU said.
In the spirit of good governance and transparency, GRTU advocates that any such business opportunities should be opened through the most transparent means allowing for equal opportunities for businesses to participate.
GRTU has complained of the Government’s inconsistency in the matter. Speaking to this newspaper yesterday, the GRTU CEO said that while it was entering into negotiations with government over mass enforcement of a new legislation that appeared to be targeting a reduction of advertising on land, the government was in the same instance opening up to advertisement at sea.
Floating billboards in bays