Strengthening Anglo-Maltese ties

by Anthony Manduca

The British High Commissioner, Howard Pearce, was the guest of honour last week at a luncheon organised by the Institute of Directors (Malta Branch). During a speech entitled "Britain and Malta - Old Friends, Future Partners", Mr Pearce highlighted the strong ties that alreday exist between the two countries and how such links could be strengthened.

Mr Pearce said that the number of contacts between Maltese and British officials and ministers would increase this year and that he wanted to raise the awareness of the United Kingdom in Malta. He said that there were a number of ways that this would be achieved, namely, a millennium products exhibition at the Chamber of Commerce in April, British participation at the Trade Fair in July - if the price was right, a British week planned for October, the Chevening scholarships programme, jointly exploiting the north African market and promoting British interest in Malta's privatisation programme.

The High Commissioner said that Anglo-Maltese commercial relations had an exciting future and he was looking to the challenges ahead. He reminded this audience that Britain sells more to Malta per capita of population than to any other country except for the Republic of Ireland. Malta, he said, is Britain's 58th largest export market which is worth Stg200 million per anum.

Mr Pearce dedicated a good part of his speech to the enlargement of the European Union and said that EU enlargement was very much in Britain's interest.

Mr Pearce was asked whether EU enlargement was considered to be in Britain's interest because it "widened instead of deepened the Union". The High Commissioner said this was not the case and Britain greatly believed in the principle of EU enlargement as this would bring about more stability and prosperity throughout Europe.

He said that Britain was a strong supporter of Malta's EU application bid and Britain believed that an enlarged EU "would be more outward looking, would expand the single market and would reinforce peace and stability throughout Europe".

Mr Pearce said that it was likely that Malta's status as an EU candidate country was likely to attract overseas business interest in Malta.

"There has been a very substantial increase in the number of commercial inquires at the High Commission from British companies since Christmas which suggests that these are linked to the Helsinki European Council decision on opening membership negotiations with Malta," he said.

Mr Pearce said that the Lord Mayor of the City of London will be visiting Malta next month as part of a tour of all EU candidate countries.

The High Commissioner also warned about the possible negative impact that the local division over Malta's EU membership could have on foreign investment.

"Are investors putting off decisions until they are clearer about whether Malta will or will not join the EU?' he asked. He also said that Malta faced stiff competition from central and eastern European countries as far as investment was concerned.

Mr Pearce was introduced to the guests by the chairman of the Institute of Directors (Malta Branch) James Satariano.