MLP leader Alfred Sant said yesterday the Labour Party believed in Grand Harbour’s potential as a hub from where cruise liners could start and end cruises to the east and west of the Mediterranean.

He was speaking during a visit by a party delegation to the facilities at the cruise liner terminal in Valletta and a meeting with the board of VISET, the company that manages the facilities.

Dr Sant said that the MLP fully believed in the potential of the cruising industry, and when in government between 1996 and 1998 had begun working to get cruise liners to start and end cruises from Malta. He thought the American market had potential in this sector. Such a development would have a positive economic impact on the country and the MLP wished VISET well and was prepared to help in its operations.

The Labour leader spoke about the party’s regional development plan for Grand Harbour. The Grand Harbour was one of the country’s major assets but its potential had weakened as huge demographic changes had taken place, he said. But its coastline still had huge potential because Grand Harbour was spectacular, even when

compared with other Mediterranean ports.

VISET chairman Joe Zammit Tabona said the cruise liner industry around the world was huge. Malta was seeing the industry expand by 10 per cent annually but they wanted to raise that rate. VISET had invested Lm12 million in cruise liner facilities and was planning to invest another Lm3 million. He also referred to the need for cruise liners to start and end cruises in Malta and for establishing direct flights to countries such as the United States.