There you have it: government’s full-on assault on a private operator to bankrupt it/force it out so that their friends can take the business instead
This used to happen all the time under Labour when Mintoff and KMB were prime minister and the Shrinking Man, Karmenu Vella Il-Guy, was a cabinet minister.
Businesses were impeded from operating by a direct onslaught from the government, which took the form of foreclosure and/or a refusal of facilities (the government controlled the bank’s daily activities directly), not permitting redundancies without the permission of the GWU (which never gave it), a refusal of import licences and the granting of miniscule import quotas (the government had full discretion), police arrest and harassment of company directors on spurious grounds like a five mils price rise, police searches without a warrant of homes of company directors…I could go on.
This was done for one of three reasons:
harassment of the owners of the business to punish them; harassment of the owners of the business to extract bribes or protection money from them or ‘persuade’ them to take in a minister/henchman as a silent partner; destruction of the company so that its business could be taken by a friend of the government.
Labour began its motivated assault on Arriva while still in Opposition, with the help of some sectors of the press/journalists who fanned the flames and reported every minor bus incident as though it was war in Syria.
That campaign against the new bus system had a purpose. It couldn’t have been more obvious. This morning, Times of Malta reports Joe Mizzi actually sounding HOPEFUL rather than worried that Arriva is going to pull out of Malta:
Transport Minister Joe Mizzi has not ruled out Arriva’s eventual departure from Malta as talks between the company and government continue.
“Every possibility exists,” Mr Mizzi said this morning when asked whether the bus company, a subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn, had any future in Malta.
And ace reporter Kurt Sansone, who froze yesterday when I told him I’m sure he gets all his Arriva stories direct from Arriva’s PRO (this when he concluded without asking him that Norman Vella had taken a picture and then described it as “very serious” that he should do something like that), reports too in Times of Malta:
Bus company Arriva can only pull out of its 10-year public transport contract with the Government’s consent or if it files for liquidation, Times of Malta has learnt. Speculation has been growing that the company, a subsidiary of German transport giant Deutsche Bahn, might wind down its operation as a result of financial losses it has sustained since the start of the service in July 2011.
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http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20131028/local/every-possibility-exists-minister-about-arriva.492258#.Um5XZ_nkubg
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20131028/local/Arriva-could-liquidate-to-escape-from-bus-contract.492225#.Um5XfPnkubh
That’ll do wonders for German investment promotion in Malta. No wonder Merkel brushed off Muscat’s ridiculous tantrums about ‘northern countries’ only caring about money.
I hope all those Arriva drivers who voted Labour, ‘ghax taf int, riedu bidla’ can now enjoy the fruit of their choice.
They will go from working for a world-renowned company with all the European conditions, to a, ‘JEKK MA JGHOGBOKX ITLAQ ONE’
Dik bidla hux.
In many ways I really hope that Arriva pulls out and the MLP replacement takes over. We will watch the new operator come to grips with a higher standard of public transport and likely fail abysmally.
It is so sad that the Maltese public are such ‘bciecen’ when it comes to analysing performance. Like a bunch of chooks they follow the lijder regardless where he goes.
To me the most poignant remark in this saga was the the one quoted in Times of Malta: “when Arriva came in the public complained about just about everything; when the UBS, with their rickety fleet, formed part of the bus network nobody complained”.
The MLP has public opinion totally under control and the PN? Ho hum.
The PN is sound asleep. It’s like they’re afraid to talk just because they know they will be getting comments like ‘negative’.
Wake up PN.
This attitude is typical of a communist state and the Maltese are still in a trance. The PN should also wake up and smell the coffee or rather the rats.
Way to go, Muscat. Remember the fuss you and your predecessor used to make about ‘not investing enough in attracting foreign investment’ every budget speech? Is this what you meant? Inviting them in, driving them out of business and buying up their investment for a song? That’s a great message to send to prospective investors. Is that what you’re planning for the Chinese at Enemalta?
This, according to the Mintoff/KMB philosophy is the way to attract foreign private investment.
The negative results of that policy put Malta in the developing countries category, seeking aid or investment from foreign states with similar socialist economies.
Yes, there was private local investment from those who cooperated with Labour politicians in the way described above.
All together now: let’s vote for change because we really need it.
All together now: “Labour is sejf for business.” “Inhallukom tahdmu.” “Inbdilna.”
My thoughts exactly. The veil of ‘Labour Party’ (concealing the old, corrupt, anti-business and totally totalitarian MALTA Labour Party) is getting thinner and thinner with each passing day. ‘LP’ has always been a mere facade.
It’s a real shame the majority of the electorate weren’t able to see through such shoddy disguise.
Re Arriva: I’ve always had a hunch that Labour made extensive use of its influence over the media to report on every single traffic accident involving an Arriva bus, irrespective of whether it was the bus driver’s fault or someone else’s.
Wasn’t Mr. George Fenech of Tumas Group a shareholder in the local Arriva setup? Seems he got out right in time for the election; is it a co-incidence or did he know something nobody else did. By the way, he is part of the group that was awarded the contract to supply electricity for the next 18 years.
Apparently Tumas Group pulled out ages ago.
They did so when their application for the bus depot in an ODZ area was refused.
Ray Fenech is now a director at Air Malta, along with his power station partner Joe Gasan. One wonders how these fellows manage to be involved in everything, under every government.
Ejja, Joseph. Sawwatna kif ghalmek is-salvatur. Ibda bl-Arriva.
Malta loves a bully, and has voted in a bunch of them.
The National Bank / BOV saga all over again.
Nies imqabbdin apposta qeghdin jiltilghu fuq l-Arriva buses, jaqalghu l-istickers tad-disabled etc., u mbaghad il-buses jigu spezzjonati u mmultati talli mghandomx display stickers. X’vilta. Serq fil-wicc biex igibu l-Arriva darha mal-hajt. Old Mintoffian tactics.
These little, spiteful people running our country know no better.
Fiddle away Nero, for Malta is already burning.
Personally I always thought that the biggest problem Arriva had was not the company but the bus drivers themselves, who wanted it to fail.
Arriva’s biggest problem is its customers – a big bunch of whingeing whiners treating an inconvenient bus route as though it were a matter of life or death.
Should Arriva leave or go into liquidation, it will send negative signals to foreign direct investors.
First, government makes it impossible for the company to operate in Malta (continuous chopping and changing of routes, Mercedes Benz articulated buses kept off the road even though Arriva has presented technical report with input by manufacturers, three “mysterious ” fires in articulated buses within two days – one is an accident, two is a coincidence, three is suspicious (arson ?).
Has the MLP made another of those pre-election agreements with local transport company/ former bus owners/drivers to go back to our prehistoric third-world transport system ? Arriva Malta is subsidiary of German giant Deutsche Bahn and any prospective foreign investors will think long and hard before even considering investing a cent in Malta.
Future foreign investors will invest short term not long term, enough till the next general election.
The number of fires on buses was too high, I always suspected sabotage.
Kicking Arriva out of business. A very promising and encouraging environment for new investors.
I really don’t think they’ll manage without creating a bit of a buzz in Brussels.
Which is why Sansone’s busy trying to convince us it’s Arriva which wants out.
The prostitute does what one pays `her` to do.
Sounds like the Mugabe-styled regime is in again.
The peaceful life we lived through the PN times made them feel secure in the belief that with a Labour government, life would continue as before.
What a shortsighted and wrong view of labour they harboured. Unfortunately the consequences will be felt by all.
The only way to redemption is for them to make their disappointment felt by making their disillusion known to all and sundry but especially to the persons they voted for.
The up-coming May elections is such an opportunity for you and us. Take it.
Yep, a loud and clear message to all considering an investment in Malta.
I blame the Times of Malta for allowing others to use it to carry out a propaganda campaign against a private enterprise.
After Black Monday (15 October 1979), The Times should have known better.
By the way, did we hear anything about Black Monday this year?
Misshom jisthu. Specjalment xi gurnalist li jippretendiha bhal Saviour Balzan. Dawn l-affarijiet iberikhom Saviour?
Soon the fat one at the GWU will give a puxjatura to the new operator and then everybody will travel happily without any problems
Duminku Mintoff kien qal: “Jien nitne**ek mill-Kostituzzjoni”. Joseph Muscat xi haga ahjar minnu ghax jigi jitne**jjek minn kollox u minn kulhadd.