I just couldn’t believe what I was reading in all newspapers when certain details of the reform in public transport were announced by “bulldozer” Minister Dr Austin Gatt, namely the decision to charge higher bus fares to tourists.
One of the few areas where we have been very competitive in tourism, compared to European countries, is in the relatively cheap public transport system. True, standards have not been anything to write home about. But tourists who use public transport have been quite happy to travel around Malta – at times on our quaint buses – since such a memorable experience can be had for a relatively cheap price when compared to what they have to fork out for a similar experience in other European countries.
Once the new bus fares start being charged to tourists, Malta’s “cheap public transport” image will be greatly dented unless Dr Gonzi and Dr Gatt, together with the new Arriva company, put a stop to this latest folly which could do untold harm to Malta’s tourism industry. The newspapers have already started receiving letters from foreigners protesting against this highly insensitive decision to charge them higher bus fares when the new system starts operating in July next year.
How on earth will this system of charging tourists differently from Maltese citizens – and possibly foreign residents in Malta – work? Will drivers have to control each passenger boarding the bus to find out whether he/she is a tourist, a Maltese citizen residing in Malta, a Maltese migrant on holiday but who has double citizenship, or a foreign EU and non-EU citizen, in order to decide who qualifies for the normal fares and those who have to pay higher ones? I can already foresee the arguments bus drivers will have to deal with and the time wasted to explain the reason to those who complain why they are charging higher fares. Hence I truly wonder whether the 10-minute wait for passengers on bus stops, especially on routes used by tourists, will not end in a longer wait. What a mess!
It is known that Brussels is looking into this irresponsible decision to charge higher bus fares to non-residents. The foreign company that has been awarded the contract is confident that Brussels will not find any case of discrimination against tourists in Malta. Even if the European Commission does not find any discrimination, this will not stop tourists from believing otherwise. And may decide to book their holidays elsewhere next time! In Maltese we have the perfect word to describe this latest bolt from the blue on the tourism industry – gennata (pure madness)!
Eddy Privitera
Mosta