From Mr M. Frendo

Foreign students have been criticised from time to time for unruly behaviour and causing a disturbance in hotels and clubs.

Now we hear that as more tourists are visiting Malta and not enough hotel rooms available to meet the demand, foreign students might not be accommodated.

Are we to neglect this niche market? Are we such amateurs that we cannot handle such a situation? We already know about a German report that revealed lack of proper English skills and students saying their host families were not fluent in English.

Can all parties interested in this sector form a consortium and, along with the government, take over the White Rocks Complex and transform it into an English language complex, providing accommodation, animation and sports activities.

If this complex is developed properly (security, proper trained employees, serious management, and regulations), besides creating jobs it can also serve as a model complex when advertising Malta as a proper English-speaking environment.

Initiative and less bureaucratic hindrance can turn this place into an ideal showcase for this particular niche market.

Martin Frendo

HAMRUN