A centre of learning

I strongly believe Malta can be a centre of learning that can contribute to both nationwide and global development.

Picture the library of Alexandria in ancient times, when Egypt was one of the best-known places in terms of its wealth of knowledge. I think Malta can have a very bright future in an ever-changing world and bearing in mind both national and global politics.

It is time to invest in intellectual capital very intensively. Our human resources and services sector is quite an important pillar to our economy and to the country. However, now we must keep on investing in knowledge and create a powerful centre of knowledge.

For many years, Malta was a key player due to its central position in the Mediterranean. It is high time it also becomes a strategic player when it comes to knowledge and creativity. The potential is there; however, we must tap into it, nurture it and make it grow.

This may mean investing more in our education institutions and their infrastructure. More people will, thus, have a chance to receive sound education. That will allow us to progress even further.

In my opinion, raising the education level is a very important objective that the government should be focusing on right now. We should be empowering our nation with better education and development.

Such an investment will, for sure, bear fruit and we may even be stronger influencers in the future of both national and global developments.

Mark John Galea – Sliema

Non-believers’ beliefs

According to Jacqueline Calleja (‘Why atheism prevails’, November 16), the “non-believer... does not know where he comes from, why he is here and, most importantly, where he is going”.

The non-believer might reply that he comes from his parents and his upbringing; that he is here to do his best to benefit humanity, both at present and in the future; and that, like every other living thing, he is (however regretfully) destined for eventual extinction.

In many ‘believing’ societies, both past and present, unbelievers too have suffered derision, marginalisation and, indeed, death for what they believe or refuse to believe.

The fact that people are prepared to suffer and die for what they believe is, unfortunately, no proof that what they believe is true.

Alan Cooke – Sliema

The Airbnb scourge

Plans for new rules for apartments used for short lets have drawn a mixed reaction. Photo: Shutterstock.COM

I imagine that the only people in favour of Airbnb accommodation are the ones cashing in on them. To the detriment of their neighbours and neighbourhoods; to the detriment of more formal hospitality establishments (hotels).

No surprise to learn that so many (most?) of these operators are unlicensed.

With so much empty talk of quality over quantity and overtourism, banning parasitic Airbnbs would be a good move to discourage shoestring visitors while helping hotel occupancy rates.

As usual in parallel universe Malta the stumbling block would presumably be enforcement of regulations and uniformity of same, irrespective of who’s brown nosing whom.

We can only hope.

Anna Micallef – Sliema