Rob Luke, British High Commissioner to Malta, tells Sandy Calleja Portelli that the relationship between the two nations is as close as ever.

What is the role of the British High Commission to Malta?

The strength of the relationship between the two peoples provides a platform for our work

For me it boils down to keeping a unique relationship unique. More concretely we work with the Maltese authorities to pursue our shared interests, such as within the EU, through the promotion of trade, and ensuring the safety and well-being of our nationals.

How would you describe the relationship between Malta and the UK?

My job is to ensure that the government to government relationship remains strong. I’m absolutely convinced that it will remain as strong under the new government as it was under the previous one. But ultimately this is a relationship between two peoples, and it is incredibly close. There are connections of family, healthcare, education, tourism and business – the strength of this relationship provides a platform for our work.

I was present at the recent commemorations of the 71st anniversary of the awarding of the George Cross to Malta which is another manifestation of the extremely close ties between the two nations. We must always honour and remember our shared past. Part of my job is to do that but also to ensure that it is a relationship focused on the present and the future. The UK is committed to that.

What assistance does the High Commission offer to British nationals in Malta?

We prioritise our resources so that we are there for British nationals in the times of greatest need, such as in a situation of bereavement, a serious accident or a crisis.

We estimate that there may be as many as 10,000 British residents in Malta and it is not feasible for us to be in contact with each of them on an ongoing basis. In that regard I pay tribute to the work of the British Residents Association, a very active and successful network which stays in touch with British residents and represents their interests.

What assistance is available for Maltese nationals interested in working or studying in the UK?

For those interested in studying in the UK, I would recommend they visit the British Council website which has a lot of information and links about educational opportunities and institutions. The Council is the cultural arm of the British government and has a separate office in Valletta. As EU citizens Maltese nationals have the right to move and live freely throughout the EU, including the UK. Many Maltese have experience of the UK through tourism, business or studies so I imagine the local grapevine is also a very effective source of advice and information. Further information can be found on our website and that of the British Council and the UK Government.

You recently organised a simulated coach crash – how would you evaluate the outcome?

Given our focus on ensuring the safety and security of British nationals, one of my highest priorities is ensuring that we are as ready as we can be to deal with a crisis should it strike. We arranged a crisis exercise based on a coach crash scenario and put ourselves to the test, alongside our colleagues from the Australian High Commission. And we learnt a lot. On the whole, I was happy with our ability to respond but there are always valuable lessons to be learnt. In six months’ time we’ll test it again.

This particular exercise didn’t involve the Maltese authorities but we have been involved in Maltese exercises in the past. We are very familiar with the excellent work of Maltese emergency responders, be it in relation to road accidents and hospitalisations or as we saw with the fantastic co-operation from the Maltese authorities during the evacuation of foreign nationals from Libya in 2011.

Is your blog an effective tool in increasing awareness of the British High Commission’s work?

One of the things I’ve been keen to do since arriving is to boost our social media presence. I’m on Twitter, my team does excellent work on our Facebook page, and I’m also experimenting with a blog. I have enjoyed writing the blog because one can go into greater detail than through a tweet. It’s a work in progress, but with Maltese society very active in the area of social media, I felt it important for us to be part of that dialogue. Our social media presence is also an important channel through which we can communicate with British residents and tourists.

The cost-cutting exercise the British Government has undertaken has led to some redundancies at the British High Commission in Malta and an industrial dispute. Has this now been resolved?

My predecessor had to make some tough decisions as a result of declining budgets. That was not a process specific to Malta but has been happening in our posts all over Europe. Those tough decisions meant that colleagues and friends here lost their jobs, which is an extremely sad and painful process.

I sincerely believe that the process was handled in accordance with local labour law and management best practice. Some of the individuals involved don’t agree – that has led in some cases to industrial disputes which are being considered by the appropriate authorities here. And ultimately that is the way it should be.

Do you foresee any further redundancies being necessary?

I wish I could offer a guarantee about the future but I can’t. What I would say is that there is a strong recognition from those who hold the purse strings in London that the High Commission in Malta has made a very significant and painful contribution to the need to bring costs down.

How is your family settling to life in Malta?

We came here directly from Paris, which we loved. But we were delighted to make the move and, with three young children, we feel really at ease here in Malta.

We are struck by the warmth of the Maltese people towards children. The children are already integrated well and we are all appreciating the wonderful weather. Being here is a wonderful opportunity, professionally and personally, and we’re getting a lot out of it. It’s a real privilege.

Will you be learning Maltese like some of your predecessors did while you are here?

Here in Malta we are spoilt because everyone speaks English. The decision was taken before my predecessor’s time that this would no longer be a role for which Maltese would be an essential requirement. Previous High Commissioners had been Arabic speakers who had converted to Maltese. I’m glad the job became available to non-Arabic speakers like me.

Still, I’m committed to learn some basic Maltese and we have started a group class here for staff. I’m starting from zero. I can’t promise to be able to speak proficiently by the end of my term here, but I’m enjoying what I’m able to learn.

The British High Commission can be found online at www.gov.uk/government/world/malta and on Facebook (UKinMalta). You can follow the British High Commissioner to Malta on Twitter @HCRobLuke and read his blog at http://blogs.fco.gov.uk/robluke .