Astrid Vella ‘launches’ an already existing website for which she was granted 20,000 euros by the Good Causes Fund under the Nationalist government

Flimkien ghall-Ambjent Ahjar (FAA) operator Astrid Vella has launched a website “to promote Malta as a unique hub of culture and history”.

I find this rather strange. Mrs Vella had obtained around 20,000 euros for that website from the Good Causes Fund under the Nationalist government (probably trying to pacify her, no doubt – imagine the outcry if I had asked for and obtained 20,000 euros for MY website) and had got it up and running in a very amateurish fashion. I clearly recall writing about it at the time.

So what accounts for this special launch now? Is it a launch or a relaunch?

“The site has articles on three main subjects: history, art and architecture throughout the ages,” she told journalists who gathered for the press conference at the Malta Chamber of Commerce.

She told the journalists that her website is “also aimed at fulfilling the government’s tourism policy of diversification, by promoting cultural tourism”. Oh, how nice for Edward Zammit Lewis.

And what’s more, Mrs Vella is also helping to promote the Sawt.

“We have made images of places like Kalkara and Southern cities, the backdrop of the website rather than the usual popular tourist spots, to encourage tourists to visit areas like the three cities and villages like Safi, Kirkop, Zurrieq and Zejtun among others,” she said.

‘Places like Kalkara’ – spoken like a true Slimiza (how embarrassing; I cringe for her). “Southern cities” – a groan moment if ever there was one.

Stupidity reigns in this country; it’s just unbelievable.

Then, mysteriously, Mrs Vella claimed that the website is not “subsidised financially” – so where did those 20,000 euros go, then? – which is why she will be using it to make money by doing things like “promoting heritage homes”.

So, in short, she has turned the FAA into a business opportunity.

The Tourism Minister, Edward Zammit Lewis, was at the press conference with Mrs Vella and he said her initiative “is very much in line with the government’s efforts at promoting off-season tourism” and that “it responds to the ever-growing market of independent travel”.

And then we expect Mrs Vella to march with her megaphone against government policy. Honestly.