Shooting ourselves in the foot

Difficulties and misunderstandings between one economic sector and another are par for the course in such a vibrant society as that we have in Malta. The country usually has enough problems to keep the people busy discussing arguments and counter arguments all year round. But there are times when it seems we excel in shooting ourselves in the foot.

Take two of the latest moves that easily fall into this category - the protest action by taxi drivers at the seaport and the one-hour strike called by the Union Haddiema Maghqudin at the airport. The first is inexplicable and the second, one that should never have been taken at that stage, least of all by a trade union that is usually very cautious about the action it takes in furtherance of its claims.

The first action, that by the taxi drivers, caused harm to the tourist industry, and, in the long term, to the taxi drivers themselves, at a time when the country can least afford it.

As to the second action, despite the conflicting views about the effects of the one-hour strike, it stands to reason that an airport strike should really be called as a last resort as the airport, perhaps more than the seaport, is the main lung of the tourist industry.

What are the taxi drivers protesting about? According to their representatives, they are against the running of a shuttle transport service to Valletta for cruise liner passengers as this robs them of a "good chunk" of their business. To press their point home, one fine day they decided to block the exit of the seaport terminal at Pinto Wharf for some hours, trapping coaches with tourists inside who had come to Malta for the first time on an unplanned stop.

What a fine way to protest! The ship paid for seven coaches to take some of the 2,000 passengers to Valletta but those who did not wish to go to the capital were told they could make use of the white taxis available outside the terminal. The taxi drivers' action implies they want a monopoly in the terminal-Valletta transport service.

If we are to make any sense of what we have been talking about, that is, of the need to ensure that the island remains competitive, not just in manufacturing but in tourism as well, it is time to face, head on, such problems as those being presented by the taxi drivers. So, on the basis of their argument, they would also be against the re-installation of a lift to Valletta and the running of a cable car, right? What's next?

Both the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association and the Chamber of Commerce have come out against the taxi drivers' action and with good reason too for it undermines much of the efforts being made to promote the island as a Mediterranean base for cruise liners. The chamber has even called for an inquiry by the transport ministry.

As regards the action by the UHM at the airport, would it not have been wiser for it to first exhaust all the available avenues for the settlement of pending claims before resorting to action? If it thinks it has already, it should then have made public protests in order to exert pressure on the operating company. The point is that our economy is too fragile for it to absorb unnecessary disruptions.

When one shoots from the hip one is likely to cause self-inflicted harm!