He was speaking yesterday while viewing construction work at the Golden Sands hotel at Ghajn Tuffieha.

On his arrival, the President was given a power point presentation by Island Hotels Group managing director Winston V Zahra that dealt with the various features of the site. Mr Zahra gave a short history of the

development that began in August 2003 when the old hotel was demolished. The actual construction of the new resort began in November 2003. He added that all the old furniture and other items were either donated to charity or sold for recycling, thus

confirming the group’s environmentally-friendly policy.

Mr Zahra showed various aerial photographs of the site taken at different dates which indicated the progress of the work. He said that a new floor is built every four to five weeks and that the rooms, facilities and other areas are being finished to the highest standards. The President was shown various artists’ impressions of the

completed development including the Cote d’Or building that will eventually house a restaurant, a cocktail bar and conference facilities.

After the presentation, the President was given a short tour of the site that focused on the various blocks together with an examination of some of the interior finishing. Dr Fenech Adami congratulated Mr Zahra for the fine workmanship and commented more than once on the spectacular views offered by the hotel.

In a concluding speech, Mr Zahra said that the Island Hotels Group had expanded from a 200-bed operation in 1989 to one of 2,000-beds in 2004, employing over 1,000 people on a full-time basis. He said that the Golden Sands project was proof of the Maltese entrepreneurs’ vision and that the costings for the development would run into the region of Lm14 million, a massive investment that would hopefully reap the desired rewards.

Mr Zahra revealed that the group was in partnership with a major timeshare seller that had already sold 1,000 new memberships or 4,000 prospective tourists, corresponding into sales of about £6-7 million.

He said that there were people currently working on site and that this would grow to 400 in the final stages of the project.

President Fenech Adami congratulated the developers for their vision and courage in embarking on such an ambitious development which, he said, was proof that the Maltese entrepreneur was capable of maintaining the highest challenges and not compromising in quality.

He said that such projects contributed to the national economy and that those who have a vision should be encouraged to promote that vision for the benefit of their business and the country as a whole.

President Fenech Adami later also visited The Mellieha Holiday Village: ‘Danish Complex’ in Ghadira.