Thanks to its magnificent geographical location and its superb potential, if properly exploited, the Maltese archipelago can easily become the Port Capital City of the Mediterranean Basin with all the tremendous advantages and gains derived from this development.

The principal features contributing to this achievement and rendering this a highly possible reality, apart from its location, are the pleasant climatic and marine conditions enjoyed virtually daily all the year round and the considerable number of sheltered localities around the coast ideal for development as boat marinas as well as satisfactory and clean bathing facilities and some excellent hotel accommodation.

Added to the above should be included a readily available labour force capable of being rapidly trained for marine services, needs and maintenance. But perhaps the most important consideration of all is the fact that English is our second official language equal to and often even exceeding in use and importance the local vernacular.

For those interested in a combination of pleasure and business opportunities, these are extensive and generally very advantageous. Projected new marinas should naturally be provided with entertainment facilities as well as sufficient and efficient facilities such as pontoon facilities, on-site fuelling points and stations to cater for all marine requisites.

The winning card in this regard however is the abundant availability of hands and brains that can easily be trained to perform efficiently on new activities or new lines of work. Proof of this are the number of major local entrepreneurs that have been successful and have operated here for many years, most of which originally started virtually from scratch and had to organise and train a team of efficient workers and administrators. Luckily, a number of facilities for repairs and maintenance of boats are already spread in different localities – mostly within easy reach of existing or likely to be built boat marinas.

This huge marina activity would surely and necessarily give birth to a tremendous business, construction and labour boom which in turn will enhance prosperity and living standards as well as a welcome money boost for the public kitty.

Taking everything into account, the local overall prosperity should be such that it will be our turn this time to help the needy and to turn over a new leaf and start accommodating and settling, training and employing immigrants previously classified as unlawful thereby providing a sufficient trained labour force that can be engaged to cater for all types of work from A to Z.

In the end, Malta could likely be referred to as the Cultural Capital City of Europe thanks to Valletta and the second reference as the Capital Ports city of the Mediterranean for international boats of every description and their crews.

Edwin Calleja

BALZAN