Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/542972
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 19 JULY 2015 26 Letters Hollywood's manna is in town as shop- keepers make takings of some Lm3,000 each to keep their shops closed whilst Ste- ven Spielberg's film on the 1972 Munich Olympics attacks by the Black September are being filmed in Malta. Retailers and shopkeepers in Valletta and Bugibba pocketed some Lm3,000 each to stay out of the way of Spielberg's crew and keep their shops shut, this newspaper is informed, as film location managers dished out thousands of liri to secure areas around Malta to themselves. Local councils were also 'on the take'. St Paul's Bay mayor Paul Bugeja confirmed that his council 'accepted' a Lm1,500 donation to help in traffic management. Valletta local council did not accept any donation although they were offered it, mayor Paul Borg Olivier said, who said his council believes in incentivising the film industry in Malta. The council had been working with the production team for two years providing it with information and logistical support for their shoots in Valletta. Instead, it gave Spielberg a hefty 75 per cent discount on the fees they were owed under the Trading Licences Act, which lays down a Lm1 per square metre charge for space that is taken up by the entire production crew, including filming and the setting up of marquees and trailers. Spielberg's crew took up 1,200 square metres of Valletta space for ten days, taking the bill up to Lm12,000, but hav- ing a sizeable chunk – some Lm9,000 – knocked off their tab. So it has been a field-day for shopkeep- ers who landed in Spielberg's path, al- though former Malta film commissioner Winston Azzopardi warns the exorbitant fees negotiated with the retailers could scare off low-budget moviemakers. "A similar experience was when I sug- gested producer Colin Wilson to have a local man to act as location manager for the film Troy. It was never taken up and a number of people actually took advantage by asking for exorbitant sums to give the film crew their space." Even Valletta mayor Paul Borg Olivier did not deny that some people "could have tried to make a quick buck" out of Spielberg's brief advent. Borg Olivier said his council did not negotiate any sums for Valletta outlets. "I will not get into the question of what these amounts were." Oliver Mallia, Malta's current film com- missioner, says the commission is equally concerned about the fact that producers have been faced with situations of "extor- tion". "We cannot solve everything. But we do our best, because biting the hand that feeds you is not ideal for Malta. As a com- mission we are concerned and we do our best to actually help location managers negotiate market prices with suppliers, because million-budget or not there is obviously a budget line to respect for every film." Shopkeepers were free to negotiate their sums with Spielberg's location manager – not a local – who also called the Malta Film Commission to intervene in certain situations. MaltaToday is reliably informed that Bugibba retailers upped their prices in a bid to be able to negotiate downwards to a decent Lm1,000 payment – Spielberg's crew accommodated them with a hand- some Lm3,000. Oliver Mallia however said the film commission does not negotiate on behalf of producers in such situations, except in the case of excessive payments. "If the company is happy paying those fees there is nothing we can do about it." Mallia said he was also involved person- ally in securing a respectable price on certain negotiations. "In some cases we managed, in others we didn't. But we also managed to compromise in certain cases. If we can control certain expenses, I think we would be giving a good example in a bid to promote Malta. That is our job. We facilitate the work for film production companies and limit the bureaucracy." 17 July 2005 Spielberg showers thousands for closed shops As I watch two, sometimes three, cruise liners arriving in Grand Har- bour, dwarfing the backdrop of the Cottonera 'Three Cities', I ask my- self: why is all of Malta's undoubted aptitude for construction located upon dry land? Maltese architects proudly defend their long standing unique ACE qualification - signifying an architect/engineer theoretically competent to design water related projects as well as those on land. So, why could not a vision for a new university be projected as a group of two or three islands (the equivalent of a couple of cruise- ships) floating off the coastline instead of concreting over one of the last tracts of traditional Maltese open countryside? Precedents can be cited as follows: 1. Venice, 'La Serenissima', is lauded as one of the world's greatest urban achievements. 2. Real estate closely related to water invariably attracts an economic premium. 3. A successful development such as Portomaso can easily be visualised as a free form floating offshore. 4. Technically the offshore energy industry has evolved a variety of modes of placing and anchoring large scale developments that are modular and interlinked. 5. Floating developments may be concrete and masonry as well as metallic. Many of the Liberty ships built in WW II to supply the Allies from the US were made of concrete; several still exist seventy years later. So the skills of traditional Maltese ma- sons would still be in demand. Most important of all are the environmental arguments. In the Netherlands these days f loating residential develop- ments are deemed ecologically preferable to former polder land reclamation. The noise and disruption of construction takes place in well-equipped yards. Additional or replacement components are towed into position, older ones towed away for re-cycling: sell- ing on, scrapping or refurbish- ment. Administratively, such projects could perhaps be grant- ed temporary planning permis- sion: say 10 years. After which a permission might be extended if found to be environmentally acceptable, or modified in ac- cordance with conditions for extension of the permission, or the development may be sold on to another location entirely. Could f loating real estate even become a successful future Maltese export? David Higdon Valletta Would it be possible for the council responsible for the posi- tioning of public rubbish bins at Mgarr ix-Xini, right in the cen- tre of this scenic, unspoiled bay to reconsider their position so that the previously unobstructed view of the bay can be enjoyed again? Unfortunately these bins have been permanently fixed into place next to the new swimming platform, attracting wasps, f lies and smells to the children and people enjoying the beach and water facilities. I also question the need for four additional bins when there are already two bins a short distance away. While I understand the ne- cessity for, and usefulness of, rubbish bins, perhaps there is a more sympathetic position for them in what is now a major tourist attraction for Gozo due to the recent filming? Pauline Sandars Xewkija, Gozo Sometimes we forget the ultimate sacrifices suffered by the 2,000 victims who were killed by the two monsters, the Italian Mus- solini and the German Hitler. The 2,000 citizens of Malta and Gozo were no lawbreakers or riot- ers but peace loving people mind- ing their own business. We know that if it were not for the interces- sion of Our Lady, we would not have survived the last war. I hope that the government and all other political parties, along with the citizenry of Malta and Gozo will do something fitting to mark this this great day. Major R.H. Marks Kercem, Gozo A hat's hare What a turnaround! Just when Sai Mizzi was receiv- ing a lot of flak from differ- ent quarters, like a female magician pulling a hare out of her hat, Sai managed the impossible. She attracted one of China's largest companies, Huawei, to come to Malta and sign a Memorandum of Understanding. This is only an MOU but on the other hand such a large company would never have bothered to sign an MOU un- less it was serious in its inten- tions that it would proceed further and invest in Malta. Well done Sai! Maurice Mizzi Bidnija Construction pressures on a small island Plastic bins spoil Mgarr ix-Xini bay The feast of Santa Marija