Prime Minister Joseph Muscat announced a €7.5 million foreign and local investment in a new marina at Sa Maison.
“Through good times and bad times, our maritime business, shipping sector and our ports have been critical to Malta. The industry’s importance remains undiminished for a small island which is seeing unprecedented growth in its economy.
Some might say our job is done, keep steady on the rudder and let the ship sail to port. That is not our attitude as the Minister clearly demonstrated in his speech. We know the potential that our seas provide and we have no intention of stopping just now.
Instead, we keep asking ourselves, how can we push the boundaries further?
What we are launching today is clear demonstration of our vision to create new sectors in our maritime industry and our economy. This upmarket marina concept is what we need to up our game in the yachting sector.
By raising our standards we want to attract the best people in the sector. The partnership between Azimut Benetti, Esprit Yachting and local entrepreneurs is surely a step towards higher standards in the yachting industry.
Like in other sectors, this government is committed to work with the private industry to provide better standards and does not shy away from partnering with the business sector taking a very professional pro-business approach. In the process, we want a win-win situation for our business community investing in Malta but also for our island which is opening up to attract the best in the industry.
I have no doubt that through this partnership Malta will be raising its profile in the yachting industry across the Mediterranean and strengthen further our status of excellence.
Having seen the plans for this marina I have to say that I am impressed with the standards the consortium is considering. A total seven and a half million euro investment for high-end berthing facilities. The regeneration of Sa Maison area and a marina that shall satisfy the latest environmental norms related to fixed point facilities for black water extraction – which means that this marina will be ahead of the times before such enviornmental standards become mandatory. It is also of great satisfaction that this project is expected to be concluded in time for the coming season 2017.
It is the sort of investment that would attract new people to Malta. I am sure that once berthed in Malta for the first time, get the right treatment whilst in the marina and start discovering the island, they will come back.
It is in this scenario that I must admit our country needs to up the game. If they berth on high-end facilities, they must find a high-end country. Their first impression of the island starts at the marina, but really and truly those who want to explore the island need to find the right environment for them to come back.
Our job is to continue upgrading the country, keep it clean and provide the right environment. Our history, culture, climate and the Mediterranean love of life will surely hit home with your clients. There is that little more to be done to upgrade our streets and amenities to continue to reflect the greatness of our small island.
In the past few days strong economic results kept coming our way. Besides the strong economic growth registered in 2015 and also in the first quarter of 2016, we have just become officially the country with lowest unemployment in the EU, while people are earning more. The overwhelming feeling among people living in Malta is that our economy will keep performing strongly in the coming months and years, while optimism among business and families remains highest among all EU member states.
That is why Malta is a great place to invest, an even better place to live and that is why we welcome and open doors to local and foreign investors who see in Malta a good business opportunity. At the same time we will keep making the most out of your business to benefit the rest of the Maltese citizens.
Things are moving in the right direction.
We are committed to further growth in Malta’s maritime sector – shipping, ports, yacthing, oil and gas, services, training and innovation. Malta has a cluster of maritime industries which can still grow. But we need to keep ensuring a strategic approach to the various parts of the maritime cluster.
The government is clear that growth in the maritime industry is part and parcel of the growth we want to keep seeing in our county.
Photo:DOI
