Legal guiding

I refer to the article by Renato Valente, OC (October 17).

I must admit I have gone through Fr Valente's letter several times, finding it quite confusing, contradictory and distorted. I fail to understand what triggered off his unfounded criticism, as my writing was intended to bring back lost sheep on the right path.

My contribution on the subject (October 12) must have hit the nail squarely on the head. He must have had the shock of his life. For years on end, he has been organising guided cultural tours for foreign students without engaging the services of a government-licensed tourist guide.

The 1965 Service Act No. XLVI of 1965 has been amended by the Malta Travel and Tourism Service Act 2002. This new act still makes it illegal for language schools to organise cultural and historical tours in special designated locations, accompanied only by their own couriers, for students over 18. If these couriers are not registered with the authority and qualified as tourist guides they are considered unauthorised persons and, together, are equally guilty of an offence liable to a fine not exceeding Lm500.

Readers are told by Fr Valente that a tourist guide's earnings could amount to over Lm60 per day. I suggest Fr Valente gives up his present activity, which he tells readers is exposed to great risks, join a guide's course and take up guiding as a full-time profession. At least he would be earning a lot of money without breaking the law. May I also suggest that he gets a copy of the Malta Travel and Tourism Service Act 2002 for only 22 cents from the Department of Information, Castille Place, to be able to quote correctly the newly recommended guides' fees.

Fr Valente says he does work for a profit and most of the money goes to licensed guides. Then, a bit further down, we are told he is not in a position to employ guides because they are expensive. I suggest Fr Valente makes up his mind. He runs a business which is quite lucrative. A TEFL school pays well. He brings to Malta a good number of foreign students who pay well in advance for all the services they receive, including cultural visits, and yet he never engages the services of a government-licensed tourist guide.

As to the qualifications of government tourist guides, I suggest Fr Valente gets in touch with the MTA, who would be more than pleased to send him free of charge an updated list of government-licensed tourist guides that would certainly put him to shame. The other points raised in Fr Valente's letter are not worthy of any answer.

Having said this, I would like to make it clear that I do not intend to pursue this matter any further either with Fr Valente or his like, as it is not my intention to bore your readers any further on the subject. I have made my point very clear and readers are intelligent enough to reach their own conclusions.

Finally, a word of thanks to the enforcement section of the Malta Tourism Authority for all the hard work they are putting to protect tourist guides. Do not be intimidated into silence and do not let anyone hinder you in your efforts. The livelihood of guides is at stake.