,“Despite the fact that the Nationalist government has been boasting for a long time that it wants to make our islands a primary centre for yachting in the Mediterranean, it is not taking serious steps to increase the facilities whereby more yachts can be berthed around our islands. Countries around us are building new yacht marinas, while the government is dragging its feet and letting our country fall behind even in this sector,” Labour’s spokesperson for tourism Evarist Bartolo said yesterday.

Italy is planning to build 60 new yacht marinas where 200,000 yachts can be berthed. France has facilities for 227,000 yachts, while in Spain there are facilities for 107,000 yachts. Even Turkey, which is considered as one of the smallest centres of yachting in the Mediterranean, has facilities for 25,000 yachts.

“When compared to these facilities, our country is seriously lagging behind, because the four marinas in Malta and the one in Gozo serve only 1,807 yachts. There is a long list of people who wish to come to Malta and berth their yachts here, however they do not come because we do not have enough space for them. A new Labour government plans to build more yacht marinas in Malta and Gozo” he said.