January/February 2007
FELTOM waives entrance fee for new members • LAL Malta offers teachers DELTA courses • MHRA at HOTREC seminar on reduced VAT • Airport converted to running track • Learn to teach English • Culture council gets new chairman • MHRA president meets Gozo minister • FATTA appoints new council • MIA appoints chief commercial officer • MTA UK gets new director

FELTOM waives entrance fee for new members

Sliema, 04/02/07 – The Federation of English Language Teaching Organisations - Malta (FELTOM) held its seventh annual general meeting at the end of January, when the executive board presented its annual report, highlighting the success and progress achieved in 2006.

Members also discussed various issues and approved a number of motions and amendments to the accreditation scheme. Last year FELTOM saw the culmination of several years' work with the launch of an accreditation scheme aimed at improving member organisations' standards, which will become mandatory as from January 2008.

The chairman of the FELTOM accreditation council, Mark Borg, was also invited to the AGM to give an account of the various activities carried out in 2006, which included the engagement of independent inspectors.

At the end of his report Borg announced that the council had carried out the first inspection and a certificate of accreditation was presented to Donald Brincat of BELS.

The president of FELTOM, John Dimech, said that those members and non-members of the federation who had shown an interest in applying for accreditation in 2006 are invited to submit their applications in the coming weeks and the independent accreditation council is more than likely to be very active in 2007.

Dimech, who at the end of the meeting was re-elected president for another term, said he was pleased that the members present at the AGM approved the motion to waive the entrance fee for new members joining FELTOM in 2007. This should encourage more non-member schools, whose membership is subject to accreditation, to join FELTOM this year.

The members of the executive board who served in 2006 were also re-elected for another term in 2007. These are Louis Grech, Maurice Rizzo, Greg Burrell, Paul Fenech and Joe Aquilina.

LAL Malta offers teachers DELTA courses

St Julian's, 24/01/07 - LAL Malta - the Institute of English Language Studies (IELS) - has been awarded accreditation by Cambridge ESOL to run diploma in English language teaching to adults (DELTA) courses. DELTA is an internationally recognised TEFL qualification for experienced teachers.

The development of the course and its syllabus has involved a long and rigorous process that has been scrutinised and approved by Cambridge ESOL. Course tutors are internationally accredited, experienced and are trained and approved by Cambridge ESOL.

DELTA is accepted throughout the world by organisations that employ English language teachers.

The DELTA preparation full-time course will be held in Malta for the first time in February. It will be split in two blocks - four weeks in February and four weeks in May. Assignment work will be carried out during the interim period.

For more information contact Cambridge ESOL DELTA administrator Julia Pearson on 21320381, 99460514 or email her at julia.pearson@lalgroup.com.

MHRA at HOTREC seminar on reduced VAT

Sliema, 24/01/07 - Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA) president Josef Formosa Gauci attended a seminar organised by the Association for Hotels, Restaurants and Cafes in Europe (HOTREC) last Friday to discuss the application of reduced VAT rates for hotels and restaurants services in EU-member countries.

Since 1992 HOTREC has been lobbying at European level - and encouraging its members at national level - for all member states to apply reduced rates on accommodation and restaurant services.

The MHRA urges the Maltese government "to consider reduced VAT in hotels and restaurants services". It also "strongly believes that the introduction of a reduced VAT rate on restaurants in Malta and Gozo will reduce the evasion of VAT payments, and such a measure coupled with high fines for those that evade the payment of VAT on such services will give a level playing field for all those engaged in this sector".

During the seminar László Kovács, EU Commissioner for Taxation, emphasised that reduced VAT rates are generally considered as effective instruments to achieve the objectives of the Lisbon agenda: increased growth, more jobs and competitiveness.

From 1 March, meantime, the VAT rate for restaurant and accommodation services will be lowered substantially in Iceland, an example that many national hospitality associations would like to see copied in their own countries.

The European Commission is to issue by 30 June a report on the impact of reduced VAT rates on a variety of services, including restaurants. "The report will, hopefully", says the MHRA, "be the starting point for a renewed debate at European level and the search for a definitive viable solution for VAT rates for all sectors".

Airport converted to running track

Luqa, 24/01/07 - Malta International Airport's Activities and Sports Club recently held a 5kms and a 10kms race around the perimeter of the aerodrome.

Although the race was limited to airport employees, 120 people accepted the challenge including 11 women.

The event was well represented with ages varying from 19 to 59, from all levels and professions including the CEO, the CFO and managers of MIA plc as well as several expatriate runners.

A further enhancement was the presence of officials from the Malta Olympic Committee and some of Malta's best athletes - they had to encourage the participants to keep going.

Both races were divided into four age groups for males and an open group for the female runners. Paul Camilleri was the overall winner of the 10kms race with an excellent finish of 00:37:02 whilst James Testa was the overall winner of the 5kms run after completing the race in 00:21:51.

Learn to teach English

St Julian's, 23/01/07 - Interested in a career in teaching English to foreigners? If so, a five-week teacher-training course - starting on 6 February - will help set you on your way.

The Lm85 course - to be held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 17:30 to 20:30 - will be held at the EF International Language Schools at the Mayfair Complex in St Julian's. The instructor will be Michel Spiteri.

To enrol or for more information email Andrew Formosa at andrew.formosa@ef.com or call 21387193.

Culture council gets new chairman

Valletta, 19/01/07 - Tourism and culture minister Francis Zammit Dimech has appointed Adrian Mamo as chairman of the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts (MCCA).

The council is responsible for Malta's cultural policy, in particular in the field of visual and performing arts.

Mamo is an architect and civil engineer. Graduating from the University of Malta in 1989, he worked for the Antiquities Division of the Works Department. He then spent two years running the video graphics studio of an advertising agency before setting up Architects Studio in partnership with three other architects.

He was responsible for the design of the Malta stand at the World Expo 2000 in Hanover, the visitor centre at the Hypogeum, the press centre for CHOGM and most recently was responsible for the setting of the Summer Arts Festival 2006 around the ruins of the Old Opera House. He has designed numerous stage sets for theatre and television and is one of the founders and is production manager for Voices, a voluntary initiative and Malta's largest musical event.

MHRA president meets Gozo minister

Victoria, 19/01/07 - Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA) president Josef Formosa Gauci met with Minister for Gozo Giovanna Debono during a courtesy visit earlier this week at her ministry to discuss problems that are affecting Gozo's tourism performance.

The halt of the air link between the two islands was of major concern and Formosa Gauci said that decisions have to be taken to find a solution to this perennial problem. A study needs to be carried out to ensure that a feasible and sustainable air link between the two islands is decided upon and implemented in the shortest possible time. Formosa Gauci also assured the minister that the MHRA would continue to lobby the MTA to ensure that Gozo is given the importance it deserves.

Formosa Gauci also emphasised the need to ensure that works at the sea passenger terminals in Mgarr and Cirkewwa are accelerated to minimize the inconvenience to both locals and visitors making the crossing between the two islands. Also, it was important to have mooring facilities at more than one location for cruise liners to stop and offer passengers a visit to Gozo's places of interest, some of which are unique. Progress on road improvements was discussed during the meeting.

MHRA CEO George Schembri and Rosemarie Stagno Navarra, council member for Gozo, accompanied Josef Formosa Gauci.

FATTA appoints new council

Valletta, 19/01/07 - At last annual general meeting of the Federated Association of Travel and Tourism Agents (FATTA) Iain Tonna was reappointed association president for 2007.

Joe Bondin was appointed vice president, George Arrigo as honorary secretary and Sandra La Rosa was reappointed honorary Treasurer.

The other elected members to the executive council were Joseph Azzopardi, Ray Azzopardi, Hubert Mugliette, Robin Oakes and Tony Spiteri Gonzi.

MIA appoints chief commercial officer

Luqa, 13/01/07 - Malta International Airport plc has appointed Julian Jaeger as chief commercial officer.

Jaeger was born in Austria in 1971 and graduated master of law from the University of Vienna. He has also specialised in aviation and has an MBA from the Danube University of Krems.

His experience is in the legal field with particular emphasis on competition law, aviation law and tax consultancy, however for the past three years he was head of business development at Vienna International Airport. In this capacity he was responsible for market development, analysis, research, tariffs concessions and aviation strategy as well as traffic forecasts, cargo development and statistics.

In his new role as chief commercial officer at MIA, Jaeger will be handling airline marketing, the development of cargo traffic and passenger hub, the land development project, as well as the cruise and fly business and the concessions and retail business.

MTA UK gets new director

Valletta, 13/01/07 - The Malta Tourism Authority has appointed Chris Fenech as its director for the UK and Ireland, replacing Michael Piscopo. Fenech will be running the authority's office in London.

Fenech comes to this new position after four years as marketing manager at Malta International Airport.

The MTA's London office will be further strengthened with the engagement of Jane Dawkins as marketing manager and Heidi Drummond as marketing executive. They join Marie Anne Barthet Brown who is responsible for the MICE market and Victor Bonett who is responsible for information and support services.

Piscopo, meanwhile, will be returning to Malta to head the MTA's new online marketing operation.