There is no shortage of political happy talk with buzzwords like ‘visions’, ‘strategy’, ‘excellence,’ ‘environmental sustainability’ and ‘high-quality jobs’ today. Many often forget that, in economic planning, size matters. When policymakers suffer from the political version of the Napoleon complex, they become aggressive and insensitive to ordinary people’s needs and aspirations.
Transport Minister Aaron Farrugia struggles to mitigate the frustration many are experiencing due to the chaos on our roads. One of his latest announcements is about a new “strategic vision” to turn the island into a “superyacht hub”. Among the actions listed in the strategy document is “a breakwater in Tigné to protect the whole of Marsamxett Harbour”.
Farrugia’s new vision is evidence of a tired economic strategy that promotes more of the same activities, putting further strain on the country’s social and physical infrastructure.
Malta’s shoreline is limited, with practically every patch of accessible seafront already taken up for beach resorts, yacht marinas and maritime industry use. In some areas like Marsascala, Birżebbuġa and parts of Cottonera, bathing facilities are limited and often overcrowded in summer. Taking up more shorelines from those using them today turns dreams of well-being into nightmares.
The tourism industry is already handicapped by the limited availability of rocky and sandy beaches. Moreover, the protection of the shoreline is inadequate as sand erosion and the frequent cementing of rocky beaches destroy their fragile ecosystems.
Adding value to the tourism product and promoting the well-being of the local community by upgrading the protection of our shoreline must be a higher priority than squeezing in more superyachts in our overcrowded marinas.
Another strategic vision often touted by this administration is to turn Malta into a hub for commercial maritime activities like anti-marine pollution services and ship chandelling. The little shoreline used for commercial maritime services in Marsa must not be further restricted by turning it into another yacht marina.
Political expediency has a way of torpedoing grandiose strategic visions with blatant U-turns. Plans to build a yacht marina in Marsascala were met with strong opposition by residents in 2021. Prime Minister Robert Abela stopped the plans ahead of the last general election. More recently, Vittoriosa residents protested after no swimming signs in the Sally Port sparked fears of a marina expansion.
Politicians must be truthful in what they promise the electorate. Densely populated small island economies suffer from the physical limitations that nature imposes on them. In the absence of massive land reclamation, there is little potential to increase the turnover of existing businesses by encroaching on the land already serving a profitable economic activity or a social need.
The long road to economic reform is filled with obstacles that can cause pain to many who use it. Some obstacles, like physical limitations of size and resources, can only be overcome by more innovative strategies that aim to optimise investment in human capital and technology to promote higher added value returns. Economic policymakers have not developed strategies that do not rely on further population growth, the preservation of the environment and the status quo in our underperforming education system.
Administrative policy tweaks will never achieve the level of transformation needed to address the concerns that are becoming a nightmare for an increasing number of citizens.
Ultimately, dreams of prosperity can quickly change into nightmares.