10 years ago - The Times
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Deficit balloons as government sticks to its projections
The government’s budget deficit in the first seven months of this year is a staggering 36 per cent higher than the deficit for the same period last year, growing from €209 million to around €283 million, figures released by the National Statistics Office (NSO) yesterday reveal.
The troubling statistic comes in the wake of a declaration made earlier this month by Finance Minister Tonio Fenech, that the government’s financial position was “slightly off target”. However, the data released yesterday suggest it may not be so easy to brush aside the difference.
The Prime Minister (who was then also Minister for Finance) set out in his Budget speech last November to end 2008 with a deficit of some €68 million.
On this basis, Lawrence Gonzi had announced the government was aiming at achieving a budget surplus by 2010.
Asked how the NSO figures compared with the government’s half yearly projections, the Finance Ministry would not give a figure. “To be able to comment about the whole picture, we must wait until the end of the year to have annual figures” a spokesman for the ministry said.
25 years ago - The Times
Monday, August 30, 1993
Tourists told to ‘shun cruel Malta’
The dolphins at the Splash and Fun Park have joined bird hunting as a reason for tourists not to come to Malta, according to a correspondent writing in the letters page of yesterday’s Sunday Mirror.
The letter, hyperbolic in tone, was one of two under the heading “Shun cruel Malta”. It said it was no surprise to read of dolphins boiling alive in a shallow pool “while the Maltese sit by and watch”.
“Up to six million birds which migrate from Britain are shot by Maltese hunters each year.
“It is time for us to stop visiting Malta. When tourism is threatened, they will surely listen,” said the correspondent, whose name was not given.
Another correspondent thanked the newspaper for running the story on the dolphins.
“We were thinking of taking a holiday in Malta next year but after reading how dreadfully the Maltese have treated the dolphins, we have changed our minds,” wrote Lyn Clark of Aylesbury, Bucks.
The Mirror however also ran a story yesterday saying that the dolphins are to be moved to a new pool “today”.
Half a century ago - Times of Malta
Friday, August 30, 1968
Travel agency’s drive to attract tourism to Malta
The board of directors of the Exchange Travel Agency Ltd have decided to transfer control of their Maltese islands’ travel operation to their subsidiary, Exchange Travel (Malta) Ltd.
Exchange Travel in London, which has 13 offices in the United Kingdom, will be appointed agents of the Malta company. The capital of Exchange Travel (Malta) Ltd will be increased to £100,000.
Mr Gordon McNally, managing director, said yesterday that as Exchange Travel controlled a large slice of the Maltese islands’ tourist cake, they felt it was fair and proper that Malta should share in the future prosperity of the company.
This latest move comes at a time when British European Airways have recognised Exchange Travel as the specialist Silver Wing Holiday organiser for Malta, Gibraltar and Cyprus, said Mr McNally.
Exchange Travel’s brochures will be marketed under the brand image of Silver Wing in close cooperation with BEA. He felt this cooperation would lead to a substantial increase in the number of tourists visiting Malta.
The campaign includes 500,000 full colour, 40-page brochures devoted entirely to Malta.