Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/337883
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 29 JUNE 2014 4 News Gulia reappointed MTA chairman 'after stern rebuke' GAVIN Gulia has been reappoint- ed chairman of the Malta Tourism Authority (MTA), but only after a stern rebuke by a high-ranking gov- ernment official and some straight talking about his role so far as MTA chairman. His reappointment has been ques- tioned by various tourism operators, who have told MaltaToday that the former Labour MP may not be the most suitable candidate for the job. The MTA has now been operat- ing without a board for some time, after the previous appointees' term expired last month – unofficially, the vacuum was caused by serious doubts inside the Office of the Prime Minister about Gulia being the right man for the job. A former tourism minister in the 1996 administration, Gulia failed to get re-elected in Labour's 2013 elec- tion win. A prominent hotelier who did not want to be names told MaltaToday that three issues about Gulia's chair- man were a source of consternation. "His guidance as chairman leaves much to be desired, he must accept that he ultimately reports to the tourism minister, and he must accept that his is not an executive role." There is little chemistry between him and the long-standing MTA chief executive Josef Formosa Gauci: this week, Formosa Gauci confirmed that no board had been constituted at the MTA after members' terms expired, with operations continuing as usual. "There is no board at the moment but the executive continued with its work as normal," Formosa Gauci said. The issue was flagged in parliament by Nationalist MP Robert Arrigo, himself a hotelier. Malta Hotels and Restaurants As- sociation CEO Andrew Agius Mus- cat said he could not understand why the government was taking so long to appoint the board. "We were asked to make our nomination last month and so we did. We cannot understand why the board has not yet been formally constituted and we cannot understand what's causing the delay." Agius Muscat complained that op- erators have been "incessantly urging the government to review its strate- gy" including MTA operations. "The sector needs a new vision," he said. Tourism minister Edward Zam- mit Lewis on Tuesday said the MTA board "might be appointed in the coming days… it might be today." The MTA board is made up of 11 voting members and of the chief ex- ecutive, who is a non-voting mem- ber. Six are appointed by the minis- ter on the basis of their knowledge and experience of the sector; one is nominated by the MHRA, another by travel agents, and another by Air Malta; and two others on the recom- mendation of associations represent- ing other sectors providing travel and tourism services. But MP Robert Arrigo says the situation at MTA was unacceptable. "A month has passed and the MTA is still without a board. This is illegal and without a precedent. Last week, parliament debated the authority's financial estimates without a board being constituted." During the parliamentary debate, Arrigo insisted that things should only be repaired if they are broken: "The MTA is not broken. The au- thority was a success and the success enjoyed by the tourism sector was also thanks to the MTA. These per- sons should not be sidelined." Attacks on Zammit 'baseless' CONTINUES FROM PAGE 1 Attempts to woo an insider from the force as a replacement failed, when the chosen candidate, a senior officer turned the offer. Instead, Zammit, who served as a police inspector and superintendent for 25 years before pursuing a career as a legal procurator, was appointed from outside the corps. He was targeted by the Opposition from the very first day, with Simon Busuttil demanding his resignation when he claimed that he was not arraigning the former European commissioner John Dalli on bribery charges related to an OLAF inves- tigation, on "interference" by the prime minister. Busuttil is facing a breach of privilege complaint in the House of Representatives over his claim. Zammit improved the corps' me- dia relations, previously strained under the media, with regular crime conferences; and he set up the high- ly trained Rapid Intervention Unit. Although he declared that John Dalli, with its strong political over- tones, was to face no charges of alleged bribery over the Swedish Match allegations, Zammit has never officially declared the case closed. "His management, and style of decision-making, have failed to impress. The home affairs ministry especially, are more concerned by the way he takes decisions when it comes to deal with situations, rath- er than the Opposition's criticism," MaltaToday's source said. "The Opposition knows Zammit is not politically motivated in his work. They attack him for the sake of attacking him and to undermine the police force." Opposition, hoteliers: 'Need for review in tourism strategy' Gavin Gulia