Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/732282
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 28 SEPTEMBER 2016 YANNICK PACE THE government should seri- ously reconsider accepting local investment for Air Malta instead of only considering selling 49% of the airline shares to Alitalia, which had already claimed it would not be spending one cent in the deal, according to opposi- tion leader Simon Busuttil. Busuttil was speaking yes- terday as he welcomed repre- sentatives of the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA), who presented him with their proposals for the forthcoming budget. He said the Nationalist Party felt it was worth pursuing the viability of local investment for Air Malta before embarking in a direction the country could re- gret in the future. Busuttil also confirmed that the PN would shortly be pub- lishing its own pre-budget docu- ment, as it had done last year. MHRA CEO Andrew Agius Muscat said the association's pre-budget proposals were col- lected in a document entitled 'Creating Shared Value' and were built upon last year's rec- ommendations. He said the MHRA was con- scious of the fact that the devel- opers needed to recognise the importance of their surround- ings in any project they under- took, but also pointed out the importance that development and investment in the industry be nurtured and supported. The MHRA felt that private public partnership schemes (PPPs) should be encouraged and that better education, courses and training needed to be introduced to provide local trained staff to fill the roles in the industry. "With regard to Air Malta, the MHRA has been consistent for the past six or seven years in calling for the possibility of the airline considering local in- vestment before other options," Agius Muscat said. He told Busuttil that the MHRA was also seeking the introduction of regulation on non-collective accommodation to ensure a level playing field for all parties involved. News Octogenarian hits pedestrian AN 82-year-old Għargħur resident hit a pedestrian while driving his Toyota Vitz in Psaila Street, Birkirkara yes- terday. The pedestrian has been hos- pitalised but his condition is not yet known. However, local media reported that his condi- tion is not critical. No further details about the victim are known. The police said the accident happened at 9:35am. Spanish sailor seeks medical attention in Malta A Spanish sailor was airlifted to Malta and taken to Mater Dei hospital yesterday after suf- fering chest pains on board his vessel. The crew member was on board the Spanish frigate Na- varra when he suffered chest pains. According to AFM of- ficials, a nurse on board felt it was in the sailor's best interest to be hospitalised and called for the frigate's helicopter for assis- tance. The AFM coordinated the evacuation, with the sailor landed in the AFM's air wing at 7:45am, before being taken to Mater Dei Hospital for further medical assistance. Seven Air Malta flights delayed SEVEN Air Malta f lights were delayed yesterday due to tech- nical reasons on one of the air- line's aircraft. Air Malta said that the air- craft in question was being ser- viced in Malta by its engineers, and that the airline was assist- ing affected passengers. "The airline is doing its utmost to minimise these delays and in- conveniencies to its passengers and is offering its affected cli- ents the required assistance," it said. The affected f lights were to Rome, delayed by five hours, Milan (two hours), Zurich, Vi- enna and Cardiff (delayed by one hour), Birmingham (two hours, 20 minutes), and Catania (one hour, 10 minutes). PN: Air Malta should seek local investors PN leader Simon Busuttil (centre) at the meeting with MHRA representatives. Claudio Grech, MP is on left.