During a visit to Marsaxlokk, Prime Minister Robert Abela announced a significant reduction in fees related to the use of electricity and water service pillars for fishing vessels.
For full-time and part-time fishermen operating vessels registered as MFA and MFB, electricity service charges will be reduced by 55%, while water service charges will be reduced by 57%. Electricity charges for other vessels registered as MFC will also be reduced by 17%.
These measures were announced during a visit to Marsaxlokk, where the Prime Minister, accompanied by the Permanent Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Supply Sharlo Camilleri, as well as the Director General for Fisheries and Aquaculture within the same ministry Bjorn Azzopardi, held an informal meeting with a number of fishermen.
The Prime Minister said that this reduction is intended to reduce the operational burden on fishermen and give them increasingly better conditions to continue working, investing and strengthening their economic activity.
It was also mentioned that the Government will be entering into discussions with fishermen’s organisations so that a building which is currently in a state of abandonment at Xatt is-Sajjieda will be handed over to the Malta Food Agency to be re-allocated and transformed into an efficient facility that reflects the real needs of the sector. Among other things, there will be cold storage facilities for fishermen.
The Government reiterated its commitment to remain a shoulder to shoulder for fishermen, while protecting our country’s tradition and building an increasingly competitive and sustainable fishing sector.
Prime Minister Abela was also accompanied by the Minister for Local Government and Public Works Alision Zerafa Civelli for a visit to the local council building and a meeting with Mayor Steven Grech and the councillors where the needs and priorities of this locality were discussed.
Photo (OPM)
