Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/380554
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 14 SEPTEMBER 2014 8 News MATTHEW VELLA CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 "Sometimes people decide to leave government altogether and on other occasions they decide to stay on in a differ- ent role, such as Formosa Gauci did by staying on as a consultant in the tourism ministry," the minister said. In October, the airline will be ex- pected to present the latest figures for the year ending March 2014. In March 2013, the second year of Air Malta's five-year restructur- ing, the airline reported an operat- ing loss of €13.7 million, down from €29.7m in 2011. But Zammit Lewis refused to confirm or deny the forecast €30 million losses in 2015 – the year in which the airline should be gearing up for breakeven. "This government inherited a company which was in its third year of a restructuring process that had been negotiated with the European Commission by the previous ad- ministration. Air Malta has contin- ued to abide by the process as set out in this restructuring plan. "The government is fully de- termined and working hard to strengthen the internal structures of Air Malta and to ensure that the company returns to commercial vi- ability as soon as possible. "The government is constantly en- suring that Air Malta is also being pro-active and exploiting commer- cial opportunities that may arise. "Whatever the case, our focus is on implementing the replacement process without losing sight of our strategic objectives: maintaining our momentum in the tourism industry and turning Air Malta around." While Zammit Lewis said that the hunt for a new CEO is already un- derway, a new development Malta- Today got wind of at the weekend was that chief financial officer Clare Brown has also left her post, five months after her appointment. In February 2013, Brown was brought in as interim head of fi- nancial control, later designated as head of financial 'transforma- tion'. But following the resignation of Nick Xuereb, the chief financial officer who worked alongside chief executive Peter Davies and chief commercial officer Philip Saunders, Brown was made 'acting' CFO. She is believed to have left some time in June-August. Air Malta went through a massive restructuring imposed by the EU after the government saved it from bankruptcy in 2010 with a €52 mil- lion loan. Two years later the EU approved €130 million in State aid on condition that the airline was re- structured. Air Malta almost halved its workforce, reduced the number of planes in operation and cut ca- pacity. Labour, critical of the appoint- ment of aviation expert Peter Dav- ies on a €500,000 annual salary, des- ignated former Enemalta chairman Louis Giordimaina as his Maltese successor. In the process however, it suffered the loss of Ray Fenech as chairman, and replaced him with former General Soft Drinks general manager Maria Micallef. Under a €230 million restructur- ing plan mandated by the European Commission, Davies managed to stabilise Air Malta's balance sheet and halve the airline's losses from €78 million in 2011 to €30.9 million in 2013. He was tasked to see the airline breakeven by 2016, but his €500,000 contract expired in 2014. JAMES DEBONO A 140 strong petition is calling on the Malta Environment and Planning Au- thority to reconsider a permit issued for a private kiosk on the public bel- vedere overlooking the square at Bu- gibba and the offshore fountain and the panoramic view of the bay. The signatories argue that the per- mit reverses the decision taken by the Labour government in 1997 to move to less intrusive locations kiosks hin- dering pedestrian access along the promenade. The kiosk in question was one of the kiosks relocated to an area next to the water park in 1997. The local plan specifically states that "no additional kiosks" should be allowed on the promenade and the shoreline and places "a moratorium on any additional structures whether for kiosks and associated tables and chairs." They also contend that the approval of the kiosk on the belvedere goes against the present policy guidelines which state that kiosks should be 500 metres away from other kiosks. Only this week an application for another kiosk on the Bugibba prom- enade was withdrawn after the Plan- ning Directorate recommended a re- fusal as the development was deemed to be in breach of these local plan policies. The case officer report for this ap- plication clearly states that according to the policies "no new kiosks shall be permitted along the promenade and foreshore in Bugibba". Sources in MEPA accounted the discrepancy between the two deci- sions to the fact that while the more recent case involved an entirely new kiosk, the kiosk approved on the bel- vedere was relocated from a nearby location. On their part the petitioners also raised questions regarding what will happen to the platform near the wa- ter park, "freed" by the removal of the present kiosk. "Will it be awarded to third parties thus violating the local plan again?" they asked. The planning application to relocate the kiosk to the belvedere was submit- ted in September 2013 after the gov- ernment requested the relocation of a kiosk owned by the same owner in the vicinity of the water park. The Malta Environment and Plan- ning Authority issued the permit for the 18-square metre new permanent kiosk last month. The main reason given by the case officer for recommending the ap- proval of the new kiosk was that the Government Property Division had identified the site in question. The new kiosk will also include an area for chairs and tables covered by a glass roof. The present policy guidelines on kiosks state that kiosks should be at least 500 metres from existing kiosks. This minimum distance was not re- spected in this case. But the case officer argued that this policy does not apply to this case be- cause the kiosk is being relocated from another place. The owner had to sign a bank guar- antee to ensure that the existing kiosk is removed before the new kiosk is opened. The proposed kiosk makes extensive use of glass to limit its negative impact on sea views. The planning gains pro- posed by the MEPA include the intro- duction of three benches for the pub- lic and three refuse bins. No cooking will be allowed in the new kiosk. Air Malta tackling forecast €30m losses for 2015 "Government is fully determined and working hard to strengthen the internal structures of Air Malta" Edward Zammit Lewis Petition calls on MEPA to reconsider permit for kiosk on public belvedere Edward Zammit Lewis