Comments on: Germany’s Spiegel carries big article on Malta Financial Services Authority chief and the Cayman Islands

By: Daphne Caruana Galizia

Daphne Caruana Galizia — Mon, 13 Jun 2016 09:07:00 +0000

The Spiegel is one of Europe’s most highly respected publications. It is not a Maltese newspaper.

By: Tabatha_White

Tabatha_White — Sun, 12 Jun 2016 05:08:00 +0000

Mario Vella’s been awfully quiet of late.

By: NV

NV — Sat, 11 Jun 2016 08:45:00 +0000

Steady there. Malta was never ranked higher than any of the established jurisdictions in this field. I never hear anyone say “I prefer Malta over Cayman/Dublin/Lux” for reputationsl/credibility reasons.

The sole reasons given for setting up in Malta are ease of access to the market (that means the MFSA process is fast) and tax arbitrage.

The former is being gradually lost, and the latter will be eliminated once EU-wide tax harmonisation comes in. Bannister himself had the long term vision for financial services and executed it perfectly.

What is now happening is a pretty shoddy way to treat the man. In the UK the guy would be knighted and elevated to the Lords. Here in Malta he is bad-mouthed so some very average politician can have his personal revenge.

By: missawt

missawt — Sat, 11 Jun 2016 08:07:00 +0000

“a farce on a small island”.

By: Bertrand Russell

Bertrand Russell — Fri, 10 Jun 2016 16:48:00 +0000

In reply to Daphne Caruana Galizia. That might rule out Joe Muscat's blessing, but what other motive would Evarist Bartolo have that would justify (in a 'Labour first and foremost' mindset) further damage to Malta's financial services industry? I can't think of any well intentioned reason for these public scenes. That only leaves bad intentions.

By: La Redoute

La Redoute — Fri, 10 Jun 2016 14:00:00 +0000

Criminals buying Maltese visas and citizenship don’t need to buy humumgous flats in skyscrapers. Many of them make do with renting, dormitory-style, with total strangers. There isn’t even the pretence of actually living there, and Identity Malta knows it.

By: Daphne Caruana Galizia

Daphne Caruana Galizia — Fri, 10 Jun 2016 13:42:00 +0000

Bannister is a John Dalli man.

By: Keen memory

Keen memory — Fri, 10 Jun 2016 13:35:00 +0000

Absolutely horrendous advert for Malta. People worked so hard to garner a good reputation for the country and to gain some . And now look at the situation.

Oh well, I guess all those thousands employed in Malta’s financial services sector can go and work on construction sites building all those newly planned towers instead.

By: Daphne Caruana Galizia

Daphne Caruana Galizia — Fri, 10 Jun 2016 13:30:00 +0000

In reply to observer. Oh, no doubt about the correctness of what he says; it's his motivation and methods that are problematic.

By: observer

observer — Fri, 10 Jun 2016 13:27:00 +0000

Perhaps Evarist Bartolo is utterly correct in his position vis-à-vis- Professor Bannister.