MBR Issue 24 - Oct-LOW RES

Issue 24 – October 2016 

06 

cover story 

Growing the shield brand 

Interview with Marc Anastasi, 

Chairman, SHIELD Consultants Ltd 

8 

16 

18 

talking point Speaking out for what you believe in 

Sir Richard Branson on the responsibility of leaders and influencers 

exclusive Time to do things properly 

Exclusive by Howard Bilton, Chairman of Sovereign Group 

exclusive Innovate or Stagnate 

An exceptional article by HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, 

Ruler of Dubai 

Newspaper Post

Malta Business Review 

COVER STORY OF THE MONTH 



IT’S NOT WHO 

YOU KNOW BUT 

WHERE YOU 

KNOW THEM. 

Success isn’t just being in the right 

place at the right time, it’s knowing 

the right people. 

Over the last 150 years, we have 

created a far-reaching network by 

building lasting client relationships 

in over 60 markets. 

With connections in some of the world’s 

highest growth markets, our Commercial 

Relationship Managers are well placed 

to support your business’s local and 

international banking needs. 

Talk to us today to see where our global 

network could take your business. 

Call 2380 8000 or visit 

www.business.hsbc.com.mt 

Approved 2 and issued by HSBC Bank Malta p.l.c.,116, Archbishop Street, Valletta VLT1444. Regulated by the Malta Financial Services Authority. 

www.maltabusinessreview.net 3



06 

COVER STORY 

GROWING THE SHIELD BRAND 

Interview with Marc Anastasi, 

Chairman, SHIELD Consultants Ltd 

PuBLisher 

MBR Publications Limited 

editor 

Martin Vella 

teChniCaL advisor 

Marcelle D’Argy Smith 

saLes direCtor 

Margaret Brincat 

design 

8 

16 

18 

Issue 24 – October 2016 

TALKING POINT Speaking out for what you believe in 

Sir Richard Branson discusses the responsibility of leaders and 

influencers 

EXCLUSIVE Time to do things properly 

Exclusive by Howard Bilton, Chairman of Sovereign Group 

EXCLUSIVE Innovate or Stagnate 

An exceptional article by HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al 

Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai 

Newspaper Post 

Jacqueline Muscat 

advertising 

Call: 9940 6743 or 9926 0163/4/6; 

Email: margaret@mbrpublications.net 

or admin@mbrpublications.net 

ContriButors 

HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum; 

Howard Bilton; Sir Richard Branson; Antoine 

Bonello; Cory Crosland; George Carol; Jean Paul 

Demajo; Katia Knox; Kevin Rapinett; Julian Tang; 

sPeCiaL thanks 

DAKAR Software; DOI; eie Educational Group; 

HSBC; Ministry of Finance; Ministry for Gozo; 

Ministry For The Economy, Investment And 

Small Businesses And The Ministry For 

Competitiveness; Digital, Maritime And Services 

Economy; LinkedIn; PN Media; The Sovereign 

Group; MACM; Sovereign Group; UN News 

Centre 

Print ProduCtion 

Printit 

offiCes 

Highland Apartment - Level 1, 

Naxxar Road, 

Birkirkara, BKR 9042 

teLePhone 

+356 2149 7814 

quote of the month 

Let every man be respected as an individual and no man 

idolized. 

Albert Einstein 

COVER STORY 

6 growing the shield brand 

Interview with Marc Anastasi, Chairman, SHIELD Consultants Ltd. 

talking point 

6 

8 Speaking out for what you believe in 

Sir Richard Branson, adventurer, philanthropist, and now motivational speaker 

discusses the responsibility of leaders and influencers 

EXCLUSIVE CONTRIBUTIONS 

16 Time to do things properly 

Exclusive by Howard Bilton, Chairman of Sovereign Group, one of the world’s 

largest consultancies specialising in the provision of offshore trusts and fiduciaries 

18 Innovate or Stagnate 

An exceptional article contributed by HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al 

Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and 

Ruler of Dubai 

SPECIAL FEATURE 

20 A NINE-PAGE TRANSPORT & LOGISTICS HIGHLIGHT 

Including interview with David Abela, MD at Eurobridge Shipping Ltd (P.24) 

OUR GOLD PARTNERS 

your perfect atmosphere 

Continental Cars Ltd. 

8 

18 

16 

20 

CONTENTS 

FOCUS 

30 DataByte – A journey from our first 30 

years into the next 30 

30 

DataByte Dynamic Solutions celebrate 30 years of IT 

34 Yes I SAID IT, RIP Mobile Apps 

Cory Crosland examines The Future of the Mobile Apps 

41 Operations, Maintenance, Design & 

Travel 

iGaming 

Our monthly corporate company profile zooms on MEDAVIA 

42 Navigating Uncharted Waters at the 

Malta iGaming Seminar (MiGS) 

November welcomes MiGS gaming conferences set to light up 

the International calendar in Malta 

47 SiGMA 16 

Summit of iGaming Malta – Careers Convention for SiGMA and 

Malta Gaming Week 

Language & publishing 

50 The Road to Publication Success – 

Overcoming Challenges… 

Julian Tang, Medical Academic writes about using appropriate 

English Language content 

56 Using Aerial Drones in Construction 

Katja Knox tells us why use of aerial drones has become more 

commonplace in the construction industry 

34 

EDITORIAL 

I have been kind of “incommunicado” 

lately with the real world! Reading a 

recent blog by Sir Richard Branson, one of 

our high profile columnists, whereby he is 

calling for UK Parliament to take a second 

look at the EU referendum. I could not 

agree any further with his statement that: 

“Elections and referenda don’t come with 

a two-week, open-box return policy.” And, 

yes, perhaps they should. 

Brexit voters across the UK realised that 

they had opened a Pandora’s Box of 

negative consequences. And worst of 

all, they quickly learned that they had 

been repeatedly misled to by the Leave campaign. According to Sir Richard, 

“The decision over the UK’s future was based on false promises that pushed a 

minority of the UK’s total voting population (17 million out of 46 million) to vote 

the way it did. Two years before Brexit will even become reality, according to EU 

rules, it is already having massive consequences on the UK economy, and on 

society. Brexit has fractured the country more than any other event in recent 

memory”. Mr Branson is now leading a campaign petitioning Parliament to take 

a second look at the EU referendum and he needs three million signatures to 

succeed. 

Sir Richard ends his piece by declaring, “The business world hates uncertainty 

and without strong leadership, I worry that the UK’s economy will suffer longterm 

damage that is on the verge of going beyond repair. Bold, brave action is 

needed urgently.” Does all this remind you of local scenario and politicians, many 

of them with their own individual aspirations of power, who need to behave 

in a statesmanlike manner more than ever?! By any standards, all the recent 

scandals in Malta pale in comparison; it is up to the Maltese to clean up or to 

stay complacent. It will not really harm anybody outside very much, except that 

they are selling EU passports to all the ‘suspects’, which bothers me to no end. 

I am beginning to think that the EU in its current state is a failed experiment. 

The expansion to the East, at the time, was a necessary step in view of Vladimir 

Putin’s aspirations, as we can see today. Now it is time to reconsider. Maybe 

more people rather than the British should push the ‘Reset’ button. This would 

also be a way to get rid of some ‘strange bedfellows’. 

One of the reasons I have been quiet for long is that I am finding myself in a 

spiral with a book I am writing; the more I read, I almost should press the 

“Reset” button although the outset was to ‘ask the right questions’, the more 

I have found myself too much in the corner of trying to give answers. Anybody 

claiming to have them is not living in todays fast changing environment. Many 

great economists have done terrific analytics, but fail in their conclusions. And 

in Malta, we are paying people in high office and their staff to behave correctly, 

and not act absurdly ridiculous, as they have taken oath to serve their people 

unconditionally, not irrationally. 

We can learn from history to avoid mistakes of the past, but in no way can 

we extrapolate that into the future. The environment changes too fast in 

order to make any smart predictions. Remember the big study of the Club of 

Rome, “The Limits of Growth?”. Mankind is creative and does come up with 

corrections, sometimes ‘last minute’. However, in the meantime we have too 

many sophisticated fast moving destructive tools so that we are getting to the 

limit, at least in my frame of my mind. While observing a young friend of mine 

‘rescheduling’ some of her ‘very important’ dates on her Smartwatch, I thought 

that maybe she will have it all under control after all. The future is for the young; 

we can only stand around as observers as long as we are still around. 

So that’s all of my ‘brain-drain’ for this month, hope you enjoy the read. 

Disclaimer 

All rights reserved. No part of this work covered by copyright may 

be reproduced or copied and reproduction in whole or part is strictly 

prohibited without written permission of the publisher. All content 

material available on this publication is duly protected by Maltese 

and International Law. No person, organisation, other publisher or 

online web content manager should rely, or on any way act upon 

any part of the contents of this publication, whether that information 

is sourced from the website, magazine or related product without 

first obtaining the publisher’s consent. The opinions expressed in the 

Malta Business Review are those of the authors or contributors, and 

are not necessarily those of the editor or publisher. 

50 

56 

Martin Vella 

Malta Business Review’s editorial opinions are decided by its Editor, 

and besides reflecting the Editor’s opinion, are written to represent a 

fair and impartial representation of facts, events and provide a correct 

analysis of local and international news. 

Agents for: 

4 5 

www.maltabusinessreview.net





Growing the 

SHIELD Brand 

Interview with Marc Anastasi, Chairman, SHIELD Consultants Ltd 

By George Carol 

MBR: Your partner and Managing Director 

of SHIELD, John Schembri, recently won 

three awards at MBR’s Entrepreneur of 

the Year Awards Ceremony, including the 

top award. How does this make you feel 

as Chairman of such a high performing 

Company? 

MA: Immensely proud! We were up 

against several high performing local 

and international companies and the 

experienced judging panel included some 

professional heavyweights. I know John 

has worked very hard over the years 

with numerous sacrifices made to help 

build SHIELD into the professional and 

successful company that it is today. The 

awards for best male entrepreneur and 

overall best entrepreneur are significant 

as they are a clear recognition and 

measurement from the business sector of 

John’s entrepreneurial skills. Considering 

that John hails from a military and 

not a commercial background further 

underscores this achievement. The award 

for best CSR entrepreneur of the year is 

particularly important for the whole team 

as it confirms that the industry recognises 

SHIELD in this increasingly important 

sector. These awards confirm that the 

vision was accurate and the hard work and 

perseverance worth it. 

SHIELD prides itself in setting the 

benchmark for standards within the areas 

of business it operates in. 

Achieving success 

as a team.... 

MBR: As a Company, where do you 

intend to go from this point on? 

MA: Not a simple one to answer whilst 

respecting the company’s commercial 

confidentiality. SHIELD has had a 

successful international presence in the 

Oil & Gas sector for some years and this 

for us is still a growth area we will continue 

to pursue. We are actively in negotiations 

to expand our operations to set up a 

presence in Cyprus in both the Oil & Gas 

and Construction sectors. We are also 

currently setting up a Joint Venture with an 

important Lebanese construction firm to 

work on a United Nations project. In Malta, 

with the significant construction projects 

planned and those currently underway we 

are expanding our reach to areas where 

we have identified requirements for 

competency which compliment and relate 

to our core business. 

MBR: What challenges does 

SHIELD face in pursuing its 

growth path within Operational 

Risk Management? 

MA: Besides the obvious 

challenges facing any growing 

and expanding company, a 

major challenge we will be 

facing is sourcing, recruiting 

and retaining the professionals 

required by a company 

operating in such a specialist 

area. These professionals come 

at no small cost and balancing 

the needs of the business 

such as growth, financial 

management and cash-flow and 

opportunities whilst running 

projects profitably is another great 

challenge SHIELD faces, as is attracting and 

retaining quality clients. 

We will also see STORM, our very own 

bespoke software solutions for operational 

risk management, come into its own. This 

is an extremely innovative project, possibly 

unprecedented, which is gradually shaping 

the ORM landscape; of course, we face 

challenges there as well. 

MBR: There is no doubting that SHIELD 

is a market leader in Malta and possibly 

in this part of the Mediterranean. What 

is the secret of your Company’s success? 

MA: The SHIELD team truly believes in and 

lives the Company core values: People; 

Talent; Ideas; 

Ethics and Standards. Persons joining 

SHIELD quite simply must buy into what 

each of these means to the Company 

and what we are about, so clearly the 

core values render a strong contribution 

to the Company’s success. I would also 

add that we are highly dynamic, agile and 

extremely innovative. That stated, SHIELD 

is also highly quality-oriented and we 

strive to continually improve. 

MBR: Finally, where do you see SHIELD 5 

years from now? 

MA: From a local perspective 

SHIELD, I believe will retain 

and consolidate its position 

as a market leader and be 

synonymous with Operational 

Risk Management. More 

importantly, from an 

international standpoint I see 

SHIELD as becoming a force to 

be reckoned with within the 

wider Mediterranean region 

and internationally, not just 

through our own energies and 

resources but also by working 

with other players through 

strategic partnerships and 

alliances on major North African 

and European contracts. MBR 

For further information: 

SHIELD CONSULTANTS LTD. Mimosa Street, 

Gwardamangia, Pieta, PTA 1042, Malta. 

(+356) 2144 6980 

info@shield.com.mt 

www.shield.com.mt 

Photo Credit: Kris Micallef www.krismicallef.com 

All rights reserved. Copyright © 2016 

At the Malta’s Best Entrepreneur of the Year Awards 2016 Cermony; 

Marc Anastasi, Chairman, Ing. Patrick John Mifsud, General Manager & John Schembri, Partner and Managing Director of SHIELD Consultants Ltd 

6 7 



banking 

BANKING 

FIMBank announces 

return to profitability 

Significant milestone reached in turnaround strategy 

The FIMBank Group has announced a return 

to profitability for the first time since June 

2014, attributing this achievement to the 

continued and successful implementation 

of a consolidation strategy adopted in 

2015. 

This emerges from the publication of the 

Group’s Interim Financial Statements for 

2016, which were published recently. The 

Group’s Consolidated Audited Financial 

Statements show that for the period 

ending 30 June 2016, the Group registered 

a profit after tax of USD1.21 million 

compared to a loss of USD8.64 million 

for the same six-month period in 2015. At 

30 June 2016, Total Consolidated Assets 

stood at USD1.60 billion, an increase of 

11% over the USD1.44 billion reported 

at end 2015, while Total Consolidated 

Liabilities stood at USD1.43 billion, up by 

13% from USD1.27 billion at end 2015. 

During the period under review, operating 

income rose by 34%, from USD15.88 

million to USD21.24 million by end-June 

2016. The Group’s operating results 

before impairments, down by USD3.01 

million, were affected by lower margins 

attributable to various factors. Meanwhile, 

in another milestone achievement, 

particularly in the context of the recovery 

efforts which the current management 

team set out to implement during 2015, 

the level of net impairments continued 

its steep descent during this period, down 

from USD8.56 million to USD0.19 million 

for the six months ended 30 June of this 

year. The period under review also saw a 

marked decrease in operating expenses 

of USD4.50 million, mainly reflecting an 

improved cost-management discipline 

across the Group. 

Commenting on the financial results, 

FIMBank Group CEO Murali Subramanian 

stated that: “The positive financial 

results we have announced reflect 

our perseverance in implementing the 

turnaround strategy set out in 2015. This 

was founded on the need to improve 

our origination strategy, harmonise 

our product offering whilst looking at 

new product opportunities, a marketappropriate 

risk appetite, and cost 

efficiencies across the whole Group. These 

principles provided a platform from which 

FIMBank has been successfully stabilising 

its performance, growing its loan book and 

reversing the negative financial trend by 

returning a half-yearly profit”. 

The Group CEO explained that the ongoing 

restructuring of a number of business 

units across the factoring network “will 

provide the basis for a steady operating 

performance in the months to come”. 

Subramanian also highlighted the Group’s 

successful approach to the retail depositor 

market, thanks to the diversification of its 

funding base and a reduction in the overall 

cost of funding. He also made reference to 

new product offerings during the period, 

“which exploited existing expertise, and 

aimed at diversifying revenue streams 

geographically as well as by sector”. He 

concluded by stating that the growth 

registered by the Group was supported 

by the “rigorous management of the 

Group’s different portfolios through an 

enhanced governance structure and risk 

frameworks”. 

Commenting on the immediate outlook 

for the FIMBank Group, Chairman Dr John 

C Grech stated that the Group is “very 

encouraged by the profits registered 

during the first half of 2016, adding that 

“we are confident that this trend will be 

sustained throughout 2016”. He referred 

to the return to profitability as “an 

important milestone and a tangible result, 

which we are confident can be sustained 

through the effective application of 

the sound business strategy we have 

embarked upon”. Dr Grech added that 

with the support of a strong principal 

shareholder such as the KIPCO Group, and 

the strong impetus given by the existing 

performance-driven team, the core pillars 

of FIMBank’s business, namely Trade 

Commodity Finance, Forfaiting, Factoring 

and Treasury, have the potential to grow 

even further in the months to come. 

FIMBank’s Chairman stressed that the 

achievements reported during this 

period “will serve to further reinvigorate 

our efforts, and focus our attention on 

registering further improvements across 

the different facets of the organisation, 

including asset origination, funding and 

capital management, risk and compliance, 

and ultimately, superior profitability and 

added value to all stakeholders”. MBR 

FIMBank is a leading provider of trade finance, factoring 

and forfaiting solutions. We optimise business performance 

and support business growth by developing tailor-made 

trade finance solutions that provide exporters with 

accelerated receivables and importers with extended credit. 

Contact us to find out how your business can benefit. 

A Global Force in Trade Finance 

+356 21322100 fimbank.com 

8 

FIMBank p.l.c. is a licensed credit institution regulated by the Malta Financial Services Authority and is listed on the Malta Stock Exchange.


TALKING POINT 


Speaking out for what you believe in 

By Sir Richard Branson 

We had a very lively panel discussion 

at Virgin Disruptors in London this 

week, with lots of healthy debate. But one 

of the things everyone was in agreement 

on was the need for business people 

to speak out when they see inequality, 

unfairness and unacceptable issues. 

As I said onstage, business leaders and 

influencers have a big responsibility to 

get out there and tackle problems. If 

every business and individual took that 

attitude, we could get on top of every 

problem. A great example of this in 

2016 has been the stand everyone 

from Marc Benioff to Bruce 

Springsteen took against North 

Carolina’s “bathroom” law. 

While not claiming to 

have all the answers, it 

is vital that those who 

have the opportunity use 

their platform for good. 

As Springsteen said when 

cancelling his concert in 

Greensboro in protest the 

“bathroom” law: “It is the 

strongest means I have for 

raising my voice in opposition 

to those who continue to push us 

backwards instead of forwards.” 

With this in mind, I was proud to see 

Virgin Holidays publish the results from 

its LGBT travel report into the issues faced 

by LGBT travellers worldwide. However, I 

was saddened to learn more than one in 

three (37 per cent) LGBT travellers have 

experienced some form of discrimination 

whilst on holiday, with six per cent 

experiencing a threat of physical violence 

due to their sexuality. 

Images from Virgin Holidays 

At Virgin Holidays, we believe everyone, 

regardless of their sexual orientation or 

gender identity, has the right to be whoever 

they are, wherever they are. That’s why it is 

shocking that in today’s society some of us 

can’t even enjoy a simple holiday without 

fear of discrimination. It’s fantastic that 

Virgin Holidays are doing their bit to raise 

awareness around this important issue. 

As part of our commitment to addressing 

the issues faced by the LGBT community 

when travelling, Virgin Holidays will 

stage a LGBT equalities conference 

in conjunction with international 

tourism partners, and focus on 

empowering staff, informing 

customers, and influencing 

partners. Virgin Holidays is 

also joining LGBT equality 

charity Stonewall, as a 

Diversity Champion. 

We certainly don’t have the 

solution or all the answers, 

but we are committed to trying 

to change the attitude of the 

travel industry and be a proactive 

force for change in the LGBT 

community. For more information on 

the campaign please visit virginholidays. 

co.uk/losethelabels. MBR 

Courtesy: Virgin Podcast; Virgin Holidays 

Recognition + Innovation = Growth + Success 

Welcome to Best in Biz Awards, 

the only business awards program judged by 

members of the press and industry analysts. 

Martin Vella M: +356 9926 0162 | martin@mbrpublications.net 

10 www.maltabusinessreview.net 11 

BIB 

Friday 25 th November, 2016 

Castello Dei Baroni, Wardija, Malta 

For further information please contact: 

Margaret Brincat M: +356 9940 6743 | margaret@mbrpublications.net


CORPORATE BANKING 

CORPORATE BANKING 


The Availability of Credit 

in the New World Order 

By Kevin Rapinett 

Kevin Rapinett: “Businesses thrive on good cash flow and well structured financing with appropriate risk mitigation” 

The financial landscape before us 

today presents a different story 

than that of just eight years ago, in 

other words, prior to the financial crisis. 

Too often, the question is raised that 

there is no credit to begin with. The Malta 

Business Review invites Kevin Rapinett, 

the Head of Corporate Banking at HSBC 

Bank Malta, to take our readers on a factfinding 

trail and help them figure out 

where the money lies. 

Banks open for business 

We often hear the question: “Are banks 

lending?” To me, this is a very strange 

question to ask given that lending is a core 

business for banks. The initial response 

from many when asked why they are 

posing such questions is to state that 

this is what is often heard in the media 

and in social circles. In fact, there have 

been various studies on the topic and, 

since 2008, the European Commission 

and European Central Bank (ECB) have 

periodically commissioned surveys on 

access to finance, particularly for SMEs. 

As a Banker with close to 30 years’ 

experience, I can share the knowledge 

that banks in Malta are lending and 

have always been lending. In fact, they 

could not survive if they did not. 

In 2014, the Central Bank of Malta 

published the results of its ‘Survey on 

Access to Finance’ which showed that 

over 70% of domestic SMEs use bank 

credit as their main source of business 

finance. In fact, this is much higher than 

the average in the EU which stood at 37%. 

over the years we have seen a 

significant shift from a high 

investment economy into a 

more service and knowledge 

based one 

Further, the latest annual reports of 

the main domestic commercial banks 

clearly prove that there is healthy 

lending activity taking place with new 

business facilities being sanctioned to 

replenish loan repayments. 

In spite of a low interest rate 

environment, Banks’ assets have still 

not grown materially. One of the 

reasons for this is that over the years 

we have seen a significant shift from a 

high investment economy into a more 

service and knowledge based one, 

which activity is not credit hungry. 

Clearly with strong liquidity and a sound 

capital base our banks are most certainly 

open for business. In fact, Maltese 

banks have been ranked number 15 out 

of 140 countries for their soundness in 

the Global Competitiveness Index of 

the World Economic Forum for 2015- 

16. However, banks have obligations 

to many stakeholders ranging from the 

regulators and shareholders to their 

customers, staff and the community at 

large. Hence, while open for business, 

banks will want to attract the right 

business. 

There are challenges but also 

opportunities 

From a bank’s perspective, businesses 

demand continued access to financing 

at a reduced cost, individuals want 

deposits at the highest possible interest 

rates, security on their money and easy 

mortgage repayment terms. Regulators 

are after strong banking institutions 

operating in a competitive market, 

whereas governments attempt to ensure 

that the banks continue to finance 

economic activity to generate growth. 

Shareholders expect a reasonable return 

on their investment and regular dividend 

payments. 

In recent years, global, European, and 

domestic authorities have introduced a 

large number of new regulations with the 

objective of reducing risks and making 

the banking sector more stable. These 

included anti-money-laundering and 

anti-terrorist-financing measures, and 

increased “know your client” initiatives 

and sanctions monitoring. In November 

2014, the supervisory authority for 

‘Significant Banks’ – and both HSBC 

and BOV are categorised as such – was 

migrated from the MFSA to the ECB 

under the Single Supervisory Mechanism. 

While regulation can of course be 

challenging, there are also many positive 

effects that this creates for the economy. 

The high standards of banking regulation 

in the country is fundamental to Malta's 

strong credit rating and increases our 

attractiveness as a destination for inward 

investment. 

Poor cash flow management, 

rather than profitability, is 

the primary reason for a vast 

proportion of business failures 

And the solutions 

From a business’ perspective, understanding 

why and how banks arrive at their lending 

decisions will greatly improve a company’s 

chances of success when seeking financing. 

The state of preparedness of the company 

when requesting funding is crucial, and 

the analytics and ambitions story-telling 

must converge. Financing structures need 

to be aligned to the company’s strategy. I 

continue to see quite a few companies 

focusing on debt and working capital largely 

in the context of survival. Poor cash flow 

management, rather than profitability, is 

the primary reason for a vast proportion of 

business failures. 

Banks differentiate pricing for structured 

facilities. The lower pricing of trade financing 

solutions reflects that these structures are 

lower risk for bank's to operate and it also 

makes it easier to provide more lending to 

customers. 

HSBC Malta’s Trade for Growth Fund, 

of which more than 80% has been lent, 

demonstrates that banks are open for 

business. 

To lend or not to lend 

In summary, the Maltese economy 

continues to perform well but the material 

growth areas have so far not been credit 

hungry and many major infrastructural 

and construction projects by the private 

sector are yet to commence and utilise the 

liquidity available on banks’ balance sheets. 

So my answer to when someone asks 

whether banks are lending: “Yes, banks 

are still in business, banks are still open for 

business, banks still supply credit to the 

economy. However, this lending has to be 

done in the right way to support sustainable 

growth of the economy and enhance the 

country's reputation as a jurisdiction with 

the highest standards of regulation. 

Credit is flowing freely in Malta, where the economy is performing well above the European 

average thanks to strong domestic demand 

12 13 


REGULARISE YOUR PROPERTY 

Be in a better position to sell or acquire a bank loan for your property 

? 

WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH 

CERTAIN PROPERTIES TODAY? 

Certain property owners are not in a position 

to place on the market or acquire a bank loan 

for their property due to an illegality which is 

non sanctionable and may have taken place 

years back. 

CAN ALL EXISTING DEVELOPMENT 

BE REGULARISED? 

Applications will only be accepted for 

irregular buildings and structures within the 

development boundaries or which in past 

years benefitted from a Category B concession 

(within the development boundaries).* The 

irregular development must not constitute 

an injury to amenity.** 

The irregularity must appear in the 2016 

aerial photographs taken by the Authority. 

* WHAT IS A CATEGORY B CONCESSION? 

In 2012, owners of illegal buildings were 

then able to lodge a ‘concession’ application 

(known as a ‘CTB application’) to be able to 

obtain water and electricity services or to 

transfer property. Concessions were limited 

to specific categories of illegalities prescribed 

by law. Nevertheless, a concession was not 

tantamount to a planning permission. 

** WHAT IS AN INJURY TO AMENITY? 

An irregular development cannot jeopardise 

the ‘comfort, convenience, safety, security 

and utility that may be enjoyed within and 

around a property or neighbourhood’. When 

considering an application, decision-makers 

are therefore required to have regard to 

privacy distances, safety issues and outlook 

levels. 

22 

years 

HOW LONG IS THE SCHEME 

OPEN FOR? 

This one time opportunity is open for 

a 2 years period, extendable for 1 year. 

WHAT IS THE PROCESS TO 

REGULARISE AN ILLEGAL 

STRUCTURE? 

STEP 1: An applicant needs to appoint an 

architect to submit an online application. 

The application will require the architect 

to submit certain documentation (site 

plan, drawings of elevations and sections, 

photographs and more). 

STEP 2: The application is published in the 

Government Gazette and on the website 

of the Department of Information. The 

public is given a 30 day period to submit 

any statement of opinion related to the 

application. 

STEP 3: A report will be drawn up by a 

case officer with a recommendation. 

STEP 4: A Planning Commission 

comprising of 3 members will decide 

each application. All decisions are taken in 

public. 

STEP 5: The Planning Commission decision 

is published in the Government Gazette 

and on the website of the Department of 

Information. 

STEP 6: The applicant or registered 

objectors may appeal if they are aggrieved 

by the decision. 

€ 

WHAT FEES ARE DUE? 

An applicant is obliged to pay a minimum 

administrative fee of €50 for every 

application. Additionally every application 

will be subject to a fee, calculated on 

the total and combined roofed over 

area of each floor of the property being 

regularised. 

A 25% surcharge on the fee shall be applied 

should the scheme be extended for a third 

year. 

Applications which are related to 

cases already covered by a Category B 

concession will automatically have 

deducted the fee they had paid the 

Authority when they applied for the 

concession in previous years. 

An application refused by the Authority, 

will be refunded 90% of the fee. 

CAN A PROPOSED 

DEVELOPMENT GET INCLUDED 

IN AN APPLICATION? 

No. Any proposed development has 

to be applied for either through the 

Development Notification Order, 

the Summary Procedure or the Full 

Development Process application. 

This depends on the nature of the 

proposed development. 

WILL REGISTERED 

INTERESTED PARTIES 

STILL RETAIN RIGHTS? 

When the Planning Authority receives 

an application for a site on which there 

is an enforcement notice still in force, the 

Authority will safeguard the interests 

of all third parties who had submitted a 

formal complaint for which a notice had 

been issued. 

In these cases, the Authority will inform 

these same third parties of the submitted 

regularisation application and offer them 

the option that within a 15 day period, 

they are to notify the Authority whether 

to be considered as registered interested 

parties. 

Registered interested parties 

automatically hold the right to appeal 

the Planning Commission’s decision 

before the Tribunal. 

CAN THE AUTHORITY 

IMPOSE CONDITIONS? 

The Authority on issuing a permission 

will still retain the right to impose any 

conditions which it may deem necessary, 

including, the execution of specific works 

within a specified time-frame. Failing to 

abide by these conditions will result in the 

application being dismissed. 

The Authority also reserves the right to 

take enforcement action if an application 

gets refused. 

BANIF BUSINESS ACCELERATE 

MY TRUSTED 

PARTNER IN 

BUSINESS 

BANKING 

my ambition as 

Fashion Retailer 

Fund my business. 

Choose beautiful fabrics. 

Wow my customers. 

Banif Business Accelerate offers me the possibility 

of financing my business with minimal security and 

advantageous terms. Talk to us today. 


The SME Transactions benefit from support from the European Union pursuant to the SME Initiative, with funding by the European Union under the ERDF 

and Horizon 2020 and by the European Investment Fund and the European Investment Bank. 

SME Initiative 2014-2020 

“Stimulating private sector investment for economic growth” 

Financed by the European Union 

European Regional Development Fund 

The legal notice together with the schedule of fees may be 

downloaded from the Authority’s website www.pa.org.mt. 

Terms and conditions apply. Loans are subject to the Bank’s lending criteria. The Bank reserves the right to withdraw the product from the market at its 

own discretion. Banif Bank (Malta) plc is a credit institution licensed to undertake the business of banking by the MFSA in terms of the Banking Act 1994. 

Registered in Malta C41030 - 203, Level 2, Rue D’ Argens, Gzira, GZR 1368. 

www.maltabusinessreview.net 15


FEATURE INTERVIEW 

FEATURE INTERVIEW 


Time to do things properly 

With nowhere to hide from the glare of regulators and tax authorities around the world, 

Howard Bilton of Sovereign Group is adamant about the need for a pragmatic approach. 

Never a day goes by without another 

story about tax. Tax reporting, 

transparency, avoidance, evasion and, 

most recently, aggressive avoidance. 

Tax is, in fact, a very simple subject 

according to C. Northcote Parkinson, then 

Raffles Professor of History at the new 

University of Malaya in Singapore, and a 

writer for The Economist. 

His famous Parkinson’s Law was followed 

in 1960 by a study of taxation in all its 

forms - trade, property, capital, inheritance 

- and the frequent words are ‘blackmail’, 

‘complex’ and ‘excessive’. 

The only way not to pay tax, he concluded, 

is to go where there is no tax. 

But modern taxation is more complicated. 

The arrival of the US Foreign Account Tax 

Compliance Act (FATCA) and the OECDsponsored 

Common Reporting Standard 

(CRS) means there is nowhere to go. 

This has important implications for the 

wealth management industry; some 

players may be rushing to catch up but for 

others there are great opportunities. 

The impact of FATCA on financial 

institutions is already well underway. 

it has proven to be such a headache for 

that many firms have decided they will no 

longer accept US persons - although the 

definition is very widely drawn - as clients; 

some banks have even told existing clients 

to take their business elsewhere. 

HOWARD BILTON 

Sovereign Group 

by Howard Bilton 

Going beyond this, the new CRS sets out 

rules and procedures for the automatic 

exchange of information on financial 

accounts beneficially owned by residents 

of foreign countries. 

While it took effect from January 2016, 

the reporting itself will begin in 2017 or 

2018, depending on which country one is 

referring to. 

“CRS will only be a problem for those who 

have not correctly reported on their tax 

forms by including income in an offshore 

structure which is attributable to them”, 

says Howard Bilton, chairman of Sovereign 

Group. 

In fact, the challenge for most people as 

a result of CRS, is that it will - like FATCA 

- be just another layer of complexity 

and, inevitably, cost in terms of time and 

money. 

“It’s going to be lot of filling out forms 

which many people won’t really 

understand,” says Bilton. 

Given that the business model at 

Sovereign has been built on transparency, 

he can look to the current and future 

international regulatory regime with 

some confidence. 

The firm’s core business is setting up and 

managing companies, trusts, pensions, 

insurance and other structures to meet 

specific personal and business needs. 

These include foreign market entry, tax 

planning, wealth protection, property 

ownership and cross-border business. 

Since opening its first office in Gibraltar in 

1987, Sovereign is now one of the largest 

independent trust firms in the world. It 

manages more than 12,000 structures 

for a wide variety of clients - companies, 

entrepreneurs, private investors and HNW 

individuals. Its assets under administration 

amount to more than USD5 billion. 

HEEDING THE WAKE-UP CALL 

Yet there is another ramification of the 

new regime which follows the law of 

unintended consequences. 

just as with FATCA, the arrival of CRS 

has put a focus on the role of banks as 

gatekeepers between customers and 

governments, primarily in terms of tax. 

The main difference now, 

is only if you haven’t really 

been doing things properly 

and being fully complaint. 

There is now a certainty 

of getting caught with the 

arrival of CRS. 

As a result, reluctance has turned into 

rejection in many cases. 

In Hong Kong, for instance, Bilton says 

that banks are noticeably hesitant to deal 

with anything which has a hint of being 

‘offshore’. 

This applies to big, medium, and small 

businesses alike, he explains, and even to 

long-standing customers of who want to 

invest outside their home jurisdictions. 

“A mainstay of the Hong Kong economy 

has been its position as the service centre 

for the Far East, and Hong Kong is now 

losing business to Singapore primarily 

EDITOR’S NOTE 

because the banks in Singapore are much 

more receptive to international business. 

“Indeed”, says Bilton, “banking in Hong 

Kong has become more difficult than in 

every other international finance centre 

in the world, and this is bound to have a 

serious impact on the Hong Kong economy 

down the road.” 

He adds: “The businesses that are being 

turned away are refused banking facilities 

may not be large, but there are lots of 

them and the cumulative effect is bound 

to be felt at some stage.” 

COMPETING AS A HUB OF THE 

FUTURE 

He praises the work being done by 

InvestHK - the department of the Hong 

Kong SAR Government responsible for 

foreign direct investment, to support 

overseas, mainland and Taiwan businesses 

to set up and expand in Hong Kong. 

“They have got 13 offices around the world 

whose sole job is to round up business 

from people who want to do business 

through Hong Kong”, explains Bilton. 

The problem remains, though, that they 

too are being frustrated and thwarted by 

the fact that businesses which want to 

come to Hong Kong are unable to bank 

there. 

This should therefore be a time for 

enthusiastic and intelligent lobbying, 

believes Bilton. 

“We need to get this debate going at the 

front of mind,” he adds. “More talking, more 

writing and the more the merrier.” MBR 

Creditline: Sovereign Group 

Howard Bilton is Chairman of The Sovereign Group – one of the world’s largest consultancies specialising in the provision of 

offshore trusts and companies and associated international tax advice. He holds joint honours degree in classics and law from the 

University of Keele and is qualified as a Barrister and called to the Bars of both England/Wales and Gibraltar. He regularly lectures 

throughout the world on tax and offshore related subjects, giving presentations lasting anywhere between 45 minutes and 3 days 

and has contributed numerous articles and chapters to relevant technical publications. Howard is a visiting non-resident professor 

at Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego, where he assists with their LLM and Masters degrees in International Tax and 

Offshore Centres. In 2003 he formed The Sovereign Art Foundation Limited which is a charity registered in Hong Kong and the 

UK dedicated to raising money for worthy artistic causes through its Asian and European art prizes. Between them they have raised 

over US$4 million. See www.SovereignArtFoundation.com. He is the principal of Hillvalley Limited which makes wine in Portugal 

sold throughout the world under the Howard’s Folly brand name. 

16 17 



Exclusive: Innovation & Leadership 

Exclusive: Innovation & Leadership 


Innovate or Stagnate 

By HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum 

The key to corporations’ rejuvenation, 

civilisations’ evolution, and human 

development in general is simple: 

innovation. I am always amazed when 

governments think they are an exception to 

this rule. Innovation in government is not 

an intellectual luxury, a topic confined to 

seminars and panel discussions, or a matter 

only of administrative reforms. It is the 

recipe for human survival and development, 

the fuel for constant progress, and the 

blueprint for a country’s rise. 

The answer lies in honing our children’s 

creativity, and providing them with the 

analytical and communication skills needed 

to channel it toward productive ends. 

countries like Singapore, Malaysia, and 

South Korea has been their strategic 

decision to shift public expenditure away 

from hard infrastructure and toward the 

“soft” infrastructure needed to build and 

sustain a knowledge economy. Likewise, 

the British government spends markedly 

more of its budget on such intangibles 

than on tangible assets. 

upgrade their systems and services. 

They empower citizens to cultivate their 

collective energy and develop their 

potential, and thus become drivers of their 

countries’ growth and advancement in the 

world arena. Above all, they value human 

minds and help people become better 

guardians and builders of our planet. 

HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, 

Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai 

Companies, like people, grow old. 

They start life small and eager 

to survive, fuelled by youthful 

energy and fresh ideas. They compete, 

expand, mature, and eventually, with few 

exceptions, fade into obscurity. The same is 

true of governments: they, too, can lose the 

hunger and ambition of youth and allow 

themselves to become complacent. 

Consider this: only 11% of the Fortune 500 

companies from 1955 still exist today, while 

the average time that companies stay in the 

top 500 has fallen from seventy-five years 

to fifteen years. In this age of rapid change, 

those who lag behind become irrelevant– in 

a heartbeat. Countries whose governments 

grow old face the same fate as outdated 

companies. Their choice is simple: innovate 

or become irrelevant. 

The race for national competitiveness 

is every bit as fierce as the competition 

among companies in the marketplace. 

Countries compete for investment, talent, 

growth, and opportunity in a globalized 

world, and those that are pushed out of 

the running surrender the greatest prize of 

all: human development, prosperity, and 

happiness for their people. 

To avoid this fate, governments must focus on 

what really matters: how to be like the 11% 

of companies that have remained, through 

the decades, in the top 500. The lifecycle 

of companies should teach governments 

that the secret of eternal youth is constant 

innovation – seizing opportunities and 

behaving like the dynamic, entrepreneurial 

companies that are defining today’s world 

and shaping its future. 

Countries whose governments 

grow old face the same fate 

as outdated companies. Their 

choice is simple: innovate or 

become irrelevant. 

The first key to business-like innovation in 

government is a focus on skills. Top-tier 

companies continuously invest in their 

employees to provide them with the right 

skills for the marketplace. Governments 

must do the same, by constantly upgrading 

skills and nurturing innovation – among 

their own employees, across key sectors 

of the economy, and at the foundations of 

the education system. Governments that 

fail to equip new generations with the skills 

needed to become leaders for their time 

are condemning them to be led by other, 

more innovative societies. 

A United States Department of Labour 

study found that 65% of children currently 

in primary school will grow up to work in 

jobs that do not exist today. Another study 

at Oxford University found that 47% of job 

categories are at high risk of ceasing to exist 

because they can be automated through 

technology. 

So, how do we prepare our children and 

future generations for such times? How do 

we equip our countries to compete, not only 

today, but in the coming decades as well? 

The second key to transforming 

governments into engines of innovation is 

to shift the balance of investment toward 

intangibles, as in the private sector. Whereas 

more than 80% of the value of the Standard 

& Poor’s 500 consisted of tangible assets 

40 years ago, today that ratio is reversed: 

more than 80% of the largest companies’ 

value is intangible – the knowledge and 

skills of their employees and the intellectual 

property embedded in their products. 

When a culture of creativity 

takes root, people feel inspired to 

run further with their ideas, to 

aim higher with their ambitions, 

and to pursue bigger dreams. 

Governments, too, should think 

strategically about shifting their spending 

away from tangible infrastructure like roads 

and buildings, and toward intangibles like 

education and research and development. 

It is no secret that the US and Europe, 

combined, spend more than $250 billion 

of public funds annually on R&D to 

maintain their leading positions. Likewise, 

a key driver of rapid development in 

Most of today’s transformative 

companies are well known for having an 

innovative corporate culture and working 

environment that inspires and empowers 

employees. Governments that set an 

example for innovation have the power to 

implant a nationwide culture of creativity. 

When such a culture takes root, people 

feel inspired to run further with their 

ideas, to aim higher with their ambitions, 

and to pursue bigger dreams. That is how 

countries that encourage innovation take 

the lead – and stay there. 

To sustain innovation, businesses must 

attract and retain the most creative and 

productive minds. In this age of global 

mobility, countries, too, go head to head 

in the battle for talent. Global cities 

compete to provide an ideal life and 

work environment for innovators, and 

to harness their creativity to become 

stronger and more competitive still. 

Innovative governments do the same 

thing on a national scale. They attract 

talent, perform efficiently, and continually 

For governments, innovation is an 

existential question. Only those that 

sustain innovation can drive change in the 

world, because they are the governments 

that never grow old. MBR 

Creditline: The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, 

The Minister of Foreign Affairs & International 

Cooperation, United Arab Emirates; Projectsyndicate.org; 

LinkedIn 


“The Government’s job is 

to achieve happiness for 

people.” ~Mohammed bin 

Rashid Al Maktoum 

HH Sheikh Mohammed 

bin Rashid Al Maktoum 

became UAE Vice 

President and Prime 

Minister in 2006. His 

leadership vision has put UAE citizens’ 

empowerment, welfare and happiness at the 

core of all reforms and initiatives implemented 

since his accession. Sheikh Mohammed 

has been the driving force behind the 

transformation of modern Dubai into a major 

global city and the establishment of the UAE 

on the world stage. Today Dubai stands as a 

major centre for international trade as well 

as tourism and is home to over two million 

people representing over 220 nationalities. 

18 19 



TRANSPORT & LOGISTICS 


Lufthansa Technik will service EasyJet aircraft fleet in Malta 

Prime Minister Dr Joseph Muscat 

presided over the signing ceremony 

of an agreement between EasyJet and 

Lufthansa Technik. The British low-cost 

airline will start bringing its aircraft fleet, 

which consists of more than 200 carriers, 

to be serviced in Malta. 

He said that the Government, through 

the Malta Enterprise and Malta Industrial 

Parks, has shown that is committed 

to promoting the competitiveness of 

the aircraft maintenance repair and 

overall industry and thus promoting its 

growth and development. Dr Muscat 

explained that the Government has done 

so concretely in terms of assistance by 

the responsible agencies, providing the 

necessary infrastructure and by investing 

in technical education and training of the 

Maltese workforce. 

Dr Muscat said that economic results 

and sustaining a strong economy are 

not automatic. He said, that through 

We’re 

committed 

to deliver! 

such investments and sound decisionmaking 

that the economy will continue 

to outperform its competitors. He added 

that only a few years ago, the European 

Commission forecasted growth at less 

than 2% and described our economy as 

one that holds back growth. Today, Malta’s 

GDP grew by 5.3% and the first quarter 

of this year was the sixth quarter in a 

row that the Maltese economy expanded 

by more than 5%. He explained how the 

latest economic European Commission’s 

forecast titled Malta as having strong 

investment and household consumption. 

European officials are forecasting a 

growth of 4% GDP, double what they were 

calculating three years ago. MBR 

Courtesy: OPM/DOI 

International Freight Forwarding Solutions 

We deliver every time. 

GFS Building (MRA009) Industrial Estate, 

Marsa, MRS 3000 - Malta 

Tel: +356 2122 1229 F: +356 2122 3076 

E: info@gfs.com.mt 

www.gfs.com.mt 

road sea air 

+356 21 221 999 

expresslogigroup.com 

20 21 



transport & logistics 

This month saw EXPRESS TRAILERS 

supporting triathlete David Galea in 

his participation at one of the most 

gruelling Ironman competitions, 

KONA 2016 in Hawaii. These past 

few years have seen Express Trailers 

forge a very close relation with sport. 

FRANCO AZZOPARDI, Chairman and 

CEO of Express Trailers explains 

what drives a logistics company 

towards supporting sport. 

MBR: Why has Express Trailers chosen to 

support sport in Malta? 

FA: We do not support any sport but we 

strike partnerships with those athletes 

who mostly train on the road. Our 

company’s operations are mainly based 

on road transport and this has sensitized 

us to the fact that people may perceive 

us as a disruption on the roads. Runners 

and cyclists on Malta’s roads are equally 

vulnerable and therefore, we feel that our 

support towards these athletes can be a 

way of promoting more responsible road 

sharing with the public. 

MBR: How does all this fit in with your 

company’s corporate agenda? 

FA: First there is CSR. We fully acknowledge 

our duty towards the populace, the planet 

and all stakeholders as these are also our 

longer term investment that will make 

our company endure. Secondly, we also 

look at our own employees who play an 

important role in securing the growth of 

our business. We want them to look at 

athletes as an inspiration in their journey 

of self-development. We do not just 

expect them to deliver. We wish for them 

to become better persons because better 

and stronger persons lead to a better and 

stronger company. 

MBR: Which sport have you supported 

over the past few years? 

FA: We have built a very strong relationship 

with the Zurrieq Wolves Athletic Club 

and this year will see us sponsoring their 

Zurrieq Half Marathon events for the 

fourth time. Meanwhile however, we have 

also supported a team of four climbers in 

their challenge to climb Mount Everest, we 

provide logistical suppot to the LifeCycle 

team in their annual trips round Europe 

and this year, we also commenced a 

three-year sponsorship with the Mellieħa 

Athletics Club and the Mosta Cycling Club. 

Express Trailers’ Support To 

Sport Reflects Its’ Attitude 

Towards Business 

MBR: This month saw you sponsor 

triathlete David Galea’s trip to Kona 

2016. 

FA: Yes. We have supported David through 

logistics and his trip to Kona in Hawaii. 

Athletes from all over the world compete 

in various qualifying events to be able 

to enter this competition but only 2% of 

them manage to qualify. Qualifying for 

a competition like Kona 2016 is already 

an achievement in itself and this is why 

Express Trailers has agreed to sponsor 

David Galea’s trip to Hawaii by supporting 

the logistics involved in getting him and his 

equpment all the way to Kona. 

At Express Trailers, we want 

Endurance to shine as a 

recurring theme 

MBR: How does this latest sponsorship 

fit in with your overall company 

philosophy? 

FA: At Express Trailers, we want Endurance 

to shine as a recurring theme. We 

constantly strive and manage to meet the 

high standards we have reached but it 

takes stamina to retain the levels of service 

that secure the business. Therefore, 

sponsoring an athlete like David who has 

shown great stamina to qualify for KONA 

2016 is an inspiration to us all, and to our 

enduring quest to deliver trust. MBR 

Whatever the cargo, 

Wherever the destination, 

No matter the logistic risks, 

We can be trusted. 

Express Group Malta 

Velbro House, Qormi Road, 

Luqa LQA 9040, 

MALTA 

We are Orange. 

We Deliver Trust! 

EXPRESS TRAILERS IS THE LEADING LOGISTICS COMPANY IN MALTA 

OPERATING THROUGHOUT EUROPE AND THE REST OF THE WORLD 

Tel: (+356) 21 242311 

Email: info@expressgroup.com 

www.expressgroup.com 

22





making sure the market knows about these 

services on offer. Success is measured by 

growth, but I am not talking about just 

profits and volumes. Growth in team spirit 

and customer satisfaction come first and 

foremost. 

MBR: What strategy have you 

implemented to grow your business in a 

market which is over-saturated and highly 

competitive? 

DA: My strategy is to invest in people since 

companies are made up of people. I truly 

believe that my team is the best there 

is so I make sure that besides attractive 

remunerations and bonuses, they have 

the best possible environment where they 

work. As we speak, we are in the process 

of moving into a new start-of-the-art office 

which was designed with the Google 

offices in mind where no expense is being 

spared towards staff welfare. I also take 

in consideration staff working with our 

suppliers and make sure that they have the 

same dedication towards our work as do my 

own as only this way I can make sure that 

the service we offer is always top-notch. 

Growth in team spirit and 

customer satisfaction come 

first and foremost 

Dedication & Hard-work 

by George Carol 

MBR interviews David Abela, Managing Director at Eurobridge Shipping Ltd, 

leading freight forwarders, as the company is in the midst of moving into a 

new start-of-the-art office which was designed with the Google offices in mind. 

MBR: Would you discuss your role at 

EuroBridge and your main areas of focus? 

DA: As the Managing Director of a company 

which has grown exponentially over the last 

few years, my role has changed constantly. 

Up till a few years ago, I used to oversee 

all the day-to-day operations and sales 

however this is not possible anymore so 

I now tend to concentrate on Business 

Development and Marketing. This has 

been made possible thanks to the great 

team I have working together with me to 

continue moving our company forward. 

MBR: What were the key career 

experiences that really shaped the way 

you are now as a leader? 

DA: I took over the company when I was 

very young at 22. At the time I thought 

that my energy was enough to propel 

the company to great things immediately 

however my inexperience was making sure 

I kept my feet on the ground! In fact, I can 

say that the errors I made along the way 

(and new ones that I still do) have been 

my best teachers. Nowadays, I tend not to 

stress on the errors but the achievements 

of all the team and although I am the leader 

of this team, I am never bossy (or at least 

try not to be!) 

MBR: What are the key priorities in your 

role and how will you measure the success 

of your efforts? 

DA: My only key priority at work has 

always been to find new ways to give our 

customers the best possible value for 

money service on the market. This means 

most of all keeping your own team united 

and happy as only that way they will give 

their utmost to keep the customers happy. 

Secondly, it means developing new services 

to anticipate the market’s needs and 

MBR: What would you say are the 

essential qualities for success in your 

industry today? 

DA: Dedication and hard-work! From my 

experience, not a lot of people understand 

what one needs to go through nowadays 

to be successful in business. Over the last 

sixteen years, there were weeks where I 

spent over 70 hours at work whilst at the 

same time I had to always remain sharp and 

make sure we move forward. There were 

bumps along the way but with the help of 

my family and my team at work, we are still 

here and growing! MBR 


David joined EuroBridge 

as a Customs Clearance 

Executive in June 1998 

and was promoted to 

Operations & Marketing 

Manager in December 

1999. In August 2000 

he became its Managing 

Director. Previously, he 

worked with a local transporter meaning 

he’s been involved in all sections of the 

Freight Forwarding Industry. This together 

with achieving a Diploma in Transport 

and Logistics Studies (MCILT) has made 

him extremely knowledgeable of the sector 

throughout these years. 

24 

www.maltabusinessreview.net 

25




Calculate transport emissions 

with the DHL Carbon Calculator 

New online application delivers live data-based emissions calculation for 

almost all shipment sizes and modes of transport for local, national and 

international deliveries. 

DHL, the world’s leading logistics company, 

has today launched the DHL Carbon 

Calculator. With the introduction of the 

Carbon Calculator, DHL now allows its 

customers to calculate, free of charge, 

transport-related emissions for almost all 

shipment sizes and modes of transport. The 

calculation is carried out online based on 

intelligent algorithms. “While many other 

computational tools provide only a rough 

estimate of the transport emissions and the 

route, the Carbon Calculator taps into real 

logistics data,” explains Kathrin Brost, Vice 

President, Green Strategy and Customer 

Intelligence at DHL Global Forwarding, 

which has tested the Carbon Calculator 

together with customers. Those data include 

the route to the nearest airport or harbour, 

the main leg by air or sea and the “last mile” 

in the destination country. To determine 

the level of emissions, the DHL Carbon 

Calculator uses data from the DHL Carbon 

Accounting and Controlling department. 

The computational methodology reflects 

the recognized Greenhouse Gas Protocol 

standards, the European Standard EN 

16258 as well as the guidelines of the Global 

Logistics Emissions Council. 

To calculate the emissions, you simply enter 

the sender’s and receiver’s locations, as well 

as the weight and volume of a shipment. 

Then you select the preferred mode of 

transport. Based on your entries, the Carbon 

Calculator recommends a shipping route, 

which you can modify further. Using this, the 

tool calculates the amount of CO2 equivalent 

emissions that the transport will generate. 

Enquiries are free of charge on the system. 

The new Carbon Calculator complements 

a number of DHL tools that help customers 

understand and reduce the environmental 

impact of their supply chains. 

With its Green Optimization service, DHL 

also offers customized logistics solutions to 

help customers reduce GHG emissions and 

minimize the environmental impact of their 

logistics processes. MBR 

DHL Global Forwarding is represented in Malta by BAS LTD. 

DHL’s target is to improve carbon efficiency by 30 percent by 2020 

FCL AND LCL, 

FOR ALL YOUR 

OCEAN FREIGHTNEEDS 

DHL GLOBAL FORWARDING 

deliver ocean cargo solutions 

for when flexibility counts. 

These allow us to consistently meet the 

ever-changing needs of businesses large and 

small from sectors including automotive, 

consumer products, engineering & 

manufacturing, life sciences & healthcare 

and technology. 

Represented by: 

B.A.S. LTD - 25, Air Cargo House, 

Triq Ġanni Vassallo, Luqa LQA 1511 

Tel: +356 2558 4888 

Fax: +356 2167 7102 

E-Mail: info@basmalta.com 

Web: www.basmalta.com 

26 27 




Rabelink International Freight 

(Malta ) Ltd 

Shipping to and from overseas can be a 

nightmare if you have nobody to guide you 

through. Rabelink International Freight 

(Malta) Ltd have been doing just that for 

more than fifteen years. Rabelink is a name 

synonymous with transport in Holland and 

after several years of successful operations 

between Holland and Malta, Rabelink 

International opened a new branch in 

Malta in 1999. Today the company offers 

shipping services worldwide, including 

but not limited to Freight Forwarding , Air 

Cargo and Courier Services , Weekly Trailer 

and Container Shipments , Local Clearing 

and Delivery to door, Overseas Removals 

and Packing, as well as Warehousing . 

A recent addition to the list is assisting 

individuals with international online 

purchases. 

Rabelink International offer a personalised 

service with competitive prices – an 

element that is essential in today’s fast 

moving and price conscious market. Being 

a small company, personal assistance is 

guaranteed, ensuring that every client 

feels they are the best client. Such a 

hands-on service is ideal for the individual 

or family looking for a hassle-free move to 

a new destination. 

To find out more about how Rabelink 

International can help guide you through 

your shipping requirements - be it business 

or personal, large shipments or small, or 

even relocating home or offices – email 

info@rabelinkmalta.com. 

MBR 

• World Wide Shipping 

• Weekly Trailer & Container Services 

• Freight Forwarding 

• Local Clearing & Delivery 

• Overseas Movers & Packers 

• Air Cargo Services 

• Warehousing 

INTERNATIONAL FREIGHT (MALTA) LTD 

52, Triq ix-Xwieni, Albert Town, Marsa, MRS 1065, Malta (+356) 99245 752 info@rabelinkmalta.com 

28


ICT 


DataByte is a software and IT solutions 

house in Malta that is geared to give you the 

competitive edge in today’s business world. 

We specialise in creating custom solutions 

built from the ground up with your specific 

business requirements. 

DataByte - a Journey 

from our first 30 years into 

the next 30 years! 

30 years in IT is indeed a lifetime. For those 

who have shared this journey like DataByte 

have, we can boldly say how fortunate they 

were to have watched IT unfold before 

their very eyes as they researched and 

that they develop and serve their clients in 

a scalable, robust and reliable manner. As 

technology moves away from workstation 

application installations DataByte put itself 

firmly in this new framework. 

laboured with all the diverse technologies 

“What has made these highly dynamic 

through this extremely colourful and 

30 years possible is primarily our Human 

amazing journey in time. 

Resource content and competence. Over 

Founded in 1986, DataByte’s primary 

commitment has been that of assisting 

the years we have employed and worked 

with a lot of software development 

organisations by enhancing their specialists who have made us proud of our 

competitive edge through IT platforms achievements with our clients” explains 

and software systems built around their Frederick Micallef, Founder and CEO of 

specific needs. 

DataByte. 

In 30 years of developing software “What has always defined DataByte was 

solutions, DataByte has built a line-up of its potential to leverage its specialization 

software products powered by various by creating custom software solutions 

technologies and applicable across varied bearing our customers’ business 

business sectors in both the public and requirements. We are a smaller-sized 

private sectors. 

organisation and this helps us be flexible 

Software production has passed through 

a myriad of development environments 

and methodologies to bring us to present 

day challenges. The cloud is the current 

platform for future applications and 

DataByte are now very much on board. 

For the last years they have built their own 

platform to take any suite of applications 

and understand better the needs and 

constraints of small and medium-sized 

setups like ours. It is part of our mission 

to deliver solutions that are effective, easy 

to use and affordable, followed by reliable 

and efficient support. These, we feel, are 

the driving forces when deploying our IT 

solutions” added Frederick Micallef 

This landmark 30 year anniversary event 

is now all about setting the pace for the 

future as DataByte endeavour to use 

technology to earn local and international 

market share with more exciting and 

innovative products. These are truly 

exciting times for software deployments. 

The latest of software systems from 

DataByte - branded Workforce is set to 

mark this anniversary and is a solution 

aimed for Human Resources Management 

and integrates crucial modules into a 

seamless suite. 

DataByte is also building on the past 25 

years’ market experience with deploying 

a Managed Warehousing product for 

third party logistics companies. Today, 

warehousing and logistics have evolved 

into a multi-modal operation that is too 

complex to administer only through 

human resources. This is when a sound 

data management system can deliver the 

efficiencies sought by logistics operators. 

With these latest technology products 

DataByte feels it will attract a wide 

spectrum of companies that it feels are 

in need of its latest software offerings 

while remaining active in the bespoke 

development front. MBR 

1986 

WE STARTED 

DataByte Ltd 

Capital Business Centre, Block A, Level 2, Taz-Zwejt Street San Gwann SGN 3000 Malta 

With 30 years’ experience in providing 

software solutions to the public and the 

private sector, we are well placed to 

understand organisational dynamics. 

Besides the legacy systems and the 

more recent and varied applications, we 

are very much aware of the relevance 

to business of the HR management 

component and with this in mind, we 

have created and put on the forefront 

a suite of software systems with HR 

management as our prime objective. 

www.databyte.com.mt 

Tel: +356 23456 300 | Email: info@databyte.com.mt 

30 www.maltabusinessreview.net 31


DENTAL HEALTHCARE 

Looking after people 

Extra-oral before treatment 

Dental treatment plans vary considerably. 

Besides the main aim and objective of 

good aesthetics and functionality, other 

goals may include comfort, hygiene 

maintenance and having fixed teeth. 

The manner of achieving these desirable 

goals varies with the nature of treatment 

provided. The best way to address a 

patient’s complaint is to have the right 

goal for that patient. 

Source of common complaints: 

1. Food packing: 

• Old crowns/bridges 

• Receeding gums leaving widening 

interdental spaces 

• Ill-fitting Dentures 

• Missing teeth 

• Crowded teeth 

2. Bad breath/Halitosis: 

• Gum disease 

• Poor dental hygiene 

Intra-oral view before treatment 

• Food packing 

• Dental Caries 

3. Pain 

• Gum disease 

• Dental caries 

• Poorly fitting dentures 

• Inflammatory lesions including tooth 

abscesses 

4. Aesthetics 

• Old crowns/bridges 

• Visible metal of fillings, denture 

clasps, old-design crowns/bridges 

• Worn down teeth 

• Minimally visible teeth 

• Crowded/spaced or protruded teeth 

5. Lack of confidence in smiling 

• All of the above 

You may notice that many of the above 

complaints are from the same source 

however the way of addressing them may 

Extra-oral view after treatment 

vary considerably in costs, time and nature 

of treatment. Pinpointing and addressing 

the right complaints will lead to a satisfied 

patient. Addressing the dentists wishes as 

opposed to the patients wishes will lead to 

disaster and hence an unsatisfied patient 

never to return. If us dentists do not listen 

attentively to our patients then their needs 

will not be fully addressed. Speak up and 

ask your dentist! 

Executed treatment plan: 

1. Consultation 

2. Removal of old crowns and upper 

denture 

3. Preparation and Impression for new 

crowns/bridges 

4. Fitting of new fixed-movable 

prosthesis 

Total time-frame: 2weeks 

5. Review appointments at 1 week and 

3 months 


Dr Jean Paul Demajo 

Dental and Implant Surgeon, Trained in 

London working in private practice in Malta 

A Case Study 

Middle aged lady wishes to restore her smile. Having had a lifetime of dental 

treatment, also involving the loss of many posterior teeth, she wishes to restore her 

smile. This lady also has a problem of severe tooth-wear on her lower remaining 

teeth. Dental implants were not an option here due to expense and timeframes. 

Most of her upper dentition already had crowns while her lower remaining teeth 

could have benefitted from crowns. Her options were conventional dentures or fixed 

movable bridges. This lady chose to have her crowns replaced with new ones, have 

her lower teeth restored to their original dimension and have her missing teeth fit 

onto a fixed-movable bridge. She also treated herself to having all her new teeth 

constructed in porcelain alone. 

32


DEBATE & analysis 

debate & analysis 


Yes I Said It, 

RIP Mobile Apps 

While many businesses are still in the 

learning phase of mobile apps, the ground 

is shifting. Changing consumer behavior 

and technology improvements are spelling 

out the end of the app era in the next few 

years. 

You’ve likely seen some of the stats… the 

average smartphone user downloads zero 

new apps per month, between 80 and 

90% of apps are downloaded, used once, 

and then deleted. Eighty-five percent of 

smartphone users spend almost all of 

their time using just 5 apps. Major apps 

(Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, etc) saw a 

20% drop in downloads from May 2015 to 

May 2016. The list goes on... 

Furthermore, companies looking to 

build apps also have to consider multiple 

ecosystems (Android, iOS, etc.) and 

platforms (phone, tablet, etc) which leads 

to expensive development costs and 

ongoing maintenance. Most engineering 

teams now have dedicated groups to each 

ecosystem -- creating redundancy and 

unnecessary expense. 

Finally, consumers have moved on from 

their fascination with downloading and 

using new apps, the market has become 

too saturated, and businesses will have 

to evolve their technology strategies 

accordingly. 

Ok, so if apps are going to die, what’s next? 

What changes will occur to get us there? 

What’s Next 

The future will look more like what we’re 

used to seeing on our desktops and laptops 

than what we’ve become accustomed to on 

our mobile devices. Apps won’t be designed 

and developed for a single platform, and 

you won’t need to download them from a 

special store. 

Most importantly, adding a web app to 

your home or launch screen will be a 

simple process that will go well beyond its 

current functionality of just bookmarking 

or providing a shortcut to the website. 

For most of us, this should be a good thing. 

At the outset, it will save tons of time and 

money and labor that’s now required for 

every business to not only have an app, 

but to build and update one for each 

OS separately. It will lower the barriers, 

making the experience more seamless 

across platforms. And it will allow more 

companies to compete for space on our 

phones, which means we’ll have better 

products to show for it. 

Mobile apps will look much like what we’re 

used to seeing from web apps today, surfing 

seamlessly from Mint to Slack to Gmail. 

But to make that happen, we need to first 

make some improvements. 

The technology and infrastructure that 

underlies our mobile web experience has 

been holding us back for years. It’s one 

of the major reasons that native apps 

became so popular in the first place--you 

simply couldn’t create the same experience 

through the mobile web. 

The Future of the 

Mobile Web 

To bring about the next phase of the 

mobile web, there are really only five 

major things that need to change. And 

many of them are already underway. 

1. Better Performance and 

Experience 

Web apps need a smarter framework for 

dealing with the unique circumstances of a 

mobile device. 

At the very least, they should load 

immediately--with or without an internet 

connection. In the current era, we’re used 

to apps that spin our little data icon on load 

up, with no functionality if we have a bad 

connection or don’t have service. 

New technologies like the Service Worker 

API allow developers to create apps that 

work under various circumstances and 

network conditions -- dispatching requests 

and various tasks for the browser to handle 

in the background. 

consumers have moved on 

from their fascination with 

downloading and using new 

apps 

Things will continue to work and be updated 

behind the scenes, even if the user isn’t 

interacting with the app. And when they 

return, their instance will be retained but 

with new data or updates as necessary. 

By Cory Crosland 

Additionally, Google’s AMP project aims at 

addressing the standards and frameworks 

used to create mobile web apps that are 

performant. 

2. Offline Operability 

One of the longstanding gripes about 

the mobile web is that it’s simply useless 

without an internet connection. If you 

can’t access a website, then you can’t use 

the app--whether it actually requires an 

internet connection or not. 

To solve this, again our friend, the Service 

Worker and local storage will allow 

developers to cache portions of their app 

on the user’s phone, storing it locally and 

making it accessible without a signal or 

connection. 

3. Deep OS Integration 

Our mobile devices can do a hell of a lot of 

things--from tracking our location to taking 

photos and beaming files across the room. 

At this point, web apps have access to 

some of these features like basic location 

data and camera access. But much of the 

hardware is still out of reach. Soon, phone 

manufacturers and browser developers will 

give us more power to leverage the existing 

information inside the phone to create 

richer experiences. 

For example, mobile payments (i.e. 

Apple Pay) and advanced media support 

(i.e microphone and low level camera 

functionality) will need to be accessible in 

the web context. 

4. Containerization 

Everything on your mobile device runs 

either as its own app or as a tab in your 

browser. But this will soon change. 

In addition to being able to add apps to 

your home screen directly from the web, 

those apps should also launch in their own 

containers (not just a browser tab) and 

operate much like native apps do today. 

it’s safe to say that 99% of 

app use-cases fall away 

This will provide a better experience for the 

user, not being bounded by the limitations 

of the browser application. It will also 

protect instances of the app from the 

browser crashing and let you return to the 

app instance in the same state that you left 

it, without forcing you to refresh the page. 

5. Push Notifications and Alerts 

From a business and developer standpoint, 

one of the best things about native apps 

is having the ability to send alerts, push 

notifications, and pop up badges for the 

user. This drives increased engagement 

and lets the app feel more seamless than 

traditional experiences where things are 

happening and the user is none the wiser 

unless they access it directly. 

For mobile web apps to truly take off, 

mobile operating systems will need to 

extend this functionality to web apps and 

provide a new set of permissions and 

access procedures that allow these apps to 

use the same real-time messaging features 

to engage users. 

Summary: Your Mobile 

App (Or Not) Strategy 

Will native apps die completely? No. But as 

these 5 areas are supported by browsers 

and developers, it’s safe to say that 99% of 

app use-cases fall away. 

As we move closer and closer to this 

evolution in the mobile landscape, 

businesses will be once again faced with 

the decision of how to plan their roadmap. 

Native versus web will become a much 

more difficult decision as the distinction 

between the two blurs. 

This should also come as a word of caution 

to businesses currently planning the future 

of their technology. Relying on native apps 

in today’s climate may lead to higher 

costs in the near future as users shift 

away from this model and businesses are 

forced to, essentially, discard their native 

applications in favor of making changes 

and improvements to their web apps. 

Technology executives should carefully 

consider the lifecycle of your product and 

your development schedule and budget to 

plan for these changes. 

At this point, it seems inevitable that 

development tools & web standards 

will catch up with the market and the 

evolution will happen quickly. It’s just a 

matter of when. MBR 


Cory Crosland is the 

President and founder 

of Croscon. Croscon is 

a business engineering 

firm focused on delivering 

innovative custom software 

solutions for their clients. 

Cory is a seasoned developer 

with over 15 years of IT and 

software engineering experience. Cory currently 

also serves as a CTO advisor for a number of 

companies and has been honored with numerous 

awards and accolades – including a Webby award 

and a Grammy nomination to name a few. 

34 


35


RISK MANAGEMENT 

RETAIL 


Risk aversion is stifling 

international business 

Minister for Finance Edward Scicluna 

stated that risk is a matter of 

concern which needs to be carefully 

managed, while risk aversion in itself can 

potentially stifle investment especially in 

relation to emerging markets. 

While speaking during a seminar 

organised by the Minister Federation of 

European Risk Management Associations 

(FERMA), Minister Scicluna described the 

ever growing difficulties faced by investors 

who wanted to do business with countries 

such as Iran and Libya. He recalled how 

the European Parliament had devised 

strict financial and anti-money laundering 

regulations in order to avert banking 

crises in the future, however, in doing so, 

these same regulations are so tight, that 

investors are not being able to open bank 

accounts and conducting business leading 

to investment. This situation should be 

addressed so that former pariah states 

would really and truly return to the fold of 

the international community. 

Minister Scicluna referred to the 

country’s success at attracting meaningful 

investment in areas such as education and 

health. Such investment, he said, could 

only happen thanks to Malta’s unique 

positioning both in terms of geography as 

well as affinity with both its European and 

African neighbours, together with its own 

attractiveness due to good economic and 

financial governance. 


Courtesy: Ministry of Finance/DOI 

The Convenience Shop launches new sliced loaf 

The Convenience Shops has just launched 

a new bread loaf it believes will give its 

customers the freshness and quality they 

are looking for. For the launch, the Group 

hosted a reception at The Convenience 

outlet within the Hilltop Village Gardens 

in Naxxar. 

Speaking at the launch, Dr Chris Cardona, 

Minister for the Economy, Investment 

and Small Business congratulated The 

Convenience Group on their success 

and augured their employees for their 

commitment and hard work. The 

Group’s success and commitment to their 

customers is undoubtedly an example of 

success to other businessees. 

“This new loaf range includes wholemeal 

and soft white loaves - it provides for 

improved shelf life that retains freshness 

as well as quality of product. The 

Convenience Shops believes this new 

range will also bring added growth to 

their overall bread category,” said Andrew 

Attard, Operations Manager within the 

Group. “Our future at The Convenience is 

based on further growth - apart from our 

operational growth expectations, we will 

continue to focus more on improving the 

customer experience within our outlets,” 

he added. 

Guests were presented with a feature 

highlighting the achievements of the 

Group during the past 7 years of operation. 

Those present were entertained with live 

music, food delicacies and flowing wine. 

The Group has over 260 employees 

increasing the workforce to over 300 by 

the end of 2016 upon the opening of it’s 

40th outlet. MBR 

Dr Chris Cardona, Minister for the Economy, Investment 

and Small Business, speaking at the launching 

By J. P. Abela 

This is why we take pride in assisting you every step of 

the way and ensure that your business event does indeed 

become one to remember. 

ACHIEVING 

A PERFECT 

BUSINESS EVENT 

IS NO EASY FEAT. 

Surrounded by breathtaking views of the Mediterranean Sea, the Paradise 

Bay Resort Hotel’s unique position, make it the obvious choice as an ideal 

venue for your next business event. 

Whether you’re planning a large-scale conference, or an intimate 

boardroom meeting, the Paradise Bay Resort Hotel offers some of the 

best conference facilities in Malta. Our Ambassador and Premier Suites are 

ideal for smaller meetings and presentations, while the spacious Stella and 

Moses Halls both benefit from beautiful sea views and natural daylight. 

Extensive outdoor venue space, combined with our well-equipped internal 

meetings facilities, provides the perfect location for large functions and 

product launches. 

www.paradise-bay.com 

For more information or to make a booking enquiry, 

please contact us on 2152 1166 or 

events@paradise-bay.com 

36 


37


HIGHER EDUCATION 

eie educational group 

eie Educational Group 

Commited to Providing the Best 

Education Learning Experience 

eie educational group 

Learning a language or obtaining an 

academic qualification is more important 

than ever in the global economy. eie 

Educational Group provide students with 

a first-class educational teaching and 

training service at a fair price. Students ask 

for an excellent teaching environment so 

that they quickly progress through their 

course, but also that they will want to 

enjoy themselves whilst studying. At eie 

Educational Group, you will have a fantastic 

studying experience. eie encourage social 

interaction trough regular, fun and varied 

leisure programmes, as this improves a 

learning experience. 

eie Educational Group, was established in 

January 2000 and their success is built on a 

long-standing commitment to the specific 

needs of local and international students. 

eie constantly expands its worldwide 

networks, partners with established 

renowned organisations, invests in its 

facilities and in social commitments. The 

eie Educational Group is redefining the 

landscape of modern education. 

License Number 2005-TC-001); 

• Training programmes - Business 

courses, thematic seminars for 

business excecutives offered 

trough eie Mangement Centre; 

• English Language courses - English 

courses at Beginner, Elementary, 

Pre-Intermediate, Intermediate, 

Upper-Intermediate, Business 

English and Advanced levels are 

offered through eie Languages 

Centre (Licensed by the EFL 

Monitoring Board – License 

Number 282/MB42) 

• Student Accommodation - Provision 

of quality accommodation around 

Malta ideal for students offered 

through eie Residences 

• Internships – Organisation of 

Work placement and Internships 

for international students offered 

through eie internships. MBR 

COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE 

The eie educational group 

is an acknowledged leader in international education 

38 

The eie Educational Group aims to 

develop the appropriate competencies 

and knowledge needed in planning, 

evaluation, research and development 

tasks in education and related fields in the 

midst of societal changes, both on local 

and global levels. This network gives eie 

the key to be competitive and to share 

the collective experience and continuous 

professional development with their 

cilients. 

In a fast moving world, challenges are 

demanding and change is constant. 

Tomorrow’s future depends on today’s 

knowledge. 

Through its companies, the eie Educational 

Group is able to offer the following 

services: 

• Academic programmes - Certificate, 

Diploma, Bachelor, Master degrees 

in various subjects for young and 

mature adults are offered through 

eie Institute of Education (Licensed 

by the NCFHE as an institute of 

Further and Higher Education – 

eie Mission 

To enhance the level of Academic 

training and Tuition of both pre and 

post graduate levels by: 

• Contributing actively towards the 

propagation of equal opportunities 

for all. 

• Continually engaging in the pursuit of 

excellence. 

• Continually investing in its own 

people. 

• Striving to afford the best service to 

all our clients. 

• Establishing itself as a leader in the 

international education field. 

• Contributing towards the social 

welfare of the community. 

For more information about eie’s degree 

programmes, English language courses 

or other business related courses you can 

e-mail at info@eie-group.com, phone on 

+35621332804/5 

We specialise in providing 

* Higher Educational courses - eie Institute of Education (NCFHE License Number 2005 - TC - 001) 

* English Language courses - eie Languages Centre (EFL License Number 282/MB42) 

* Executive and Business courses - eie Management Centre 

* Internship services - eie Internships 

* Student Accommodation - eie Residences 

* International Educational services - eie International 

eie educational group, 

Tel: +356 21 332804/5 info@eie-group.com 

www.eieEducationalGroup.com


TRIBUTE 

Aviation: Corporate Profile 


UN pays 

tribute to 

Shimon Peres, 

'tireless' 

worker for 

Middle East 

peace 

United Nations outgoing Secretary-General 

Ban Ki-moon has paid tribute to Shimon 

Peres, former Israeli President and the 1994 

Nobel Peace Prize winner, who passed away 

early Wednesday at the age of 93. 

Offering condolences to his family and 

friends, and to the people of Israel, the 

Secretary-General said that “I am deeply 

saddened by the passing of Mr. Shimon 

Peres, the former President of the State of 

Israel.” 

The UN chief noted that Mr. Peres played a 

central role in Israel's founding, and served 

his country throughout his life, not only as 

President but also Prime Minister, Foreign 

Minister, Defence Minister and in other key 

roles. 

“He worked tirelessly for a two-state solution 

that would enable Israel to live securely 

and harmoniously with the Palestinians 

and the wider region, a commitment duly 

recognized when he shared the 1994 Nobel 

Above photo: Joint press conference 

Shimon Peres of Israel, pictured here together with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, back in 2012, holding a joint press 

conference in Jerusalem after the Secretary-General fourth visit to Israel. UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe 

Left photo: Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon meets with President Shimon Peres of Israel. UN Photo/Evan Schneider 

Peace Prize with Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser 

Arafat,” Mr. Ban said, also noting that Mr. 

Peres was also a good partner of the UN, 

eager to see Israel contribute to the work 

of the international community. 

The Secretary-General said he met Mr. Peres 

on many occasions, and always benefitted 

from his views. “Even in the most difficult 

hours, Mr. Peres remained an optimist 

about the prospects for reconciliation and 

peace,” he added. 

The Secretary-General recalled Mr. Peres' 

remarks at the UN: “The time has come 

to comprehend that the real triumph is in 

the harvest of peace, not in the seeds of 

another war. When we replace war maps 

with peace maps, we will discover the 

differences were minimal. The wars were 

appalling. We shall see that the promised 

land could have become the land of 

promise a long time ago.” 

The Secretary-General went on to wish that 

“may his spirit of determination guide us 

as we work to ensure peace, security and 

dignity for Israelis, Palestinians and all the 

peoples of the region.” 

In her tribute to Mr. Peres, the Director- 

General of the UN Educational, Scientific 

and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), 

Irina Bokova, said that "he was a great 

statesman, a great humanist, and a historic 

man of peace." 

"Shimon Peres leaves an indelible mark on 

the history of the Middle East and, today, 

his message is more relevant than ever, to 

clear the path to peace and mutual respect 

across the region,” she said. 

“A founder of the State of Israel, he 

remained until his very last days a man 

of ideas and values, a man of innovation 

and creative thinking, always searching 

to mobilize new hope and energy, always 

seeking new ways to promote dialogue and 

cooperation, especially through science, for 

which he was passionate,” she added. MBR 

Credit: UN News Centre 

World Summit on Sustainable Development 

Shimon Peres, pictured here shaking hands with former Secretary-General Kofi Annan during the World Summit on 

Sustainable Development, which took place in 2002 in Johannesburg, South Africa. UN Photo. 

Operations, 

Maintenance, 

Design & 

Travel 

Medavia strives to be the leading 

provider of aircraft charters and 

the full range of complimentary 

and associated services 

Medavia, was set up almost four decades 

ago as an aviation service provider with its 

own aircraft fleet specialising in customised 

services. Traditionally it serviced the oil 

and gas industry in North Africa. Third 

party aircraft charter brokerage, including 

dedicated air ambulance services, charter 

brokerage of VIP executive jets and 

airliners, ground handling services and 

cabin crew training are now also offered 

by the Operations division. 

Through the maintenance arm, Medavia 

Technics, MRO services are offered for 

various aircraft types under EASA, FAA 

and LyCAA approvals. Expertise lies in 

the establishment and operation of line 

maintenance stations including technical 

support, both under normal and AOG 

Maintenance Repair 

Organisation 

Find us on 

situations. Medavia has evolved in line 

with business realities, investing to 

achieve European (EASA) and American 

(FAA) approvals while adding design 

approved organisation (DOA - EASA 

Part 21J) to its portfolio. Maintenance 

services include heavy base maintenance, 

full refurbishments, modifications and 

painting jobs. Medavia also provides 

CAMO services. 

Medavia operated aircraft based in 

Libya, Tunisia, Egypt, Sudan, Mauritania, 

Algeria, The Philippines, Norway, Italy, 

and Greece and has great experience 

in setting up remote operation bases at 

short notice. As an operator Medavia 

provides integrated tailor-made aviation 

solutions, such as operating to remote 

areas and unprepared airstrips. As an 

MRO efforts are made to minimize aircraft 

ground time while maintaining a seamless 

transaction for a truly one stop shop. High 

quality standards, a clean safety record, 

dynamic and operational versatility are top 

priorities. 

A flexible and dynamic workforce comprising 

experienced and highly qualified personnel 

have made all this possible. Medavia 

became the top aviation services provider 

to the Oil and Gas industry in Libya and has 

contributed greatly to the development of 

this industry in Libya. 

Chartering 

Ground Handling 

Maintenance 

Medavia has been facing strong 

challenges over recent years mainly due to 

the fluid situation in Libya since 2011 and 

exacerbated by falling oil prices and fierce 

international competition. Despite this, 

Medavia continues to seek new markets, 

aims to remain flexible and sensitive to 

changing customer demands and a quality 

leader for all services offered. MBR 

Handling 

Efficient. Flexible. Holistic. 

Medavia is the true one-stop-shop in aviation. 

Part 21J Design 

Organisation 

info@medavia.com.mt | www.medavia.com.mt | 00356 2249 0000 

40 41 



Migs 

Migs 


Navigating Uncharted Waters at 

the Malta iGaming Seminar (MiGS) 

Another November of gaming conferences set to light up the International calendar in Malta, starting 

off with the Malta iGaming Seminar (MiGS) between the 7th and 9th of November 2016 at the Grand 

Masters Suite, Hilton Malta. Malta Business Review meet up with local organisers Jeff Buttigieg, COO 

of RE/MAX Malta and Ramona Mifsud of BMIT to get a closer look and find out what delegates should 

expect during the eighth edition of MiGS. 

MiGS is a conference well-known for its 

superior quality in content and knack of 

attracted authority speakers whilst last 

year it was the only local conference 

ranked in the Calvinayre.com Top 10 

Conferences in 2015 according to Becky 

Liggero’ “Becky’s Affiliated”. 

The 2016 event is once again attracting 

the best crop C-Level Suite executives 

from the universal iGaming industry. To 

date some of the world’s top management 

operators, service providers, regulatory 

bodies and legal firms from over fifteen 

countries have already confirmed their 

participation in this three-day conference. 

Whilst the previous two editions attracted 

the participation of billionaire media mogul 

Calvin Ayre and match-fixing journalist 

and author Declin Hill respectively, the 

November’s keynote speaker will be John 

Andrews, the consulting editor of the 

Economist and author of the bestseller, 

“The World in Conflict.” On the day after 

the US Election, the veteran political 

journalist will examine the challenges 

that await the new leader of the world's 

superpower and the political, social 

and economic pressures that will test 

governments from post-Brexit Europe to a 

China-dominated Asia. 

by George Carol 

Speaking of the keynote speaker, Jeff 

Buttigieg said, “MiGS was created for the 

iGaming executive that is concerned about 

the industry, interested in lifting his/her 

business to the next level and wanting to 

meet with other like-minded top industry 

executives. John Andrews who was the 

Economists’ most experienced foreign 

correspondent will evidently provide 

a different perspective to the normal 

igaming conference speaker, one that 

will relate to what is happening outside 

of the Industry, but may very well affect 

the Industry, especially during a time of 

political instability around the world.” 

MIGS was created for the 

iGaming executive that 

is concerned about the 

industry 

Ramona Mifsud said, “As the organisers 

of MiGS we are expected to deliver the 

highest quality of speakers and with this 

year’s lineup, which includes some of 

the most veteran iGaming individuals in 

the Industry, John Andrews provides an 

element of change that we feel is important 

to broaden our delegates views.” 

The agenda of MiGS has been compressed 

into two full days, with a welcome 

reception on the evening. There will also 

be several networking opportunities for 

the delegates including the first ever 

iGaming Awards that will recognize 

the industries best employees entitled 

iGaming idol. 

iGaming Idol 

iGaming idol is a new concept which has 

been created to recognize the top talent 

from the substantial pool of over 8000 

employees in Malta’s iGaming industry. 

iGaming Idol is being built on the pillars 

of individual recognition, charity and 

entertainment. The inaugural awards 

event will be held on Tuesday, the 8th of 

November, the first day of MiGS and will 

crown the first eleven winners in eleven 

different categories. The nomination 

process was rolled out earlier this year, 

it will be the first iGaming awards event 

where the top nominees will meet the 

judges whilst the full judging process will 

be audited by an international audit firm 

with a local branch in Malta. 

The event replaces a very successful 

charity event held last year where over 

160 delegates attended a fine-dining 

experience and contributed the profit of 

the event to St. Judes Children Hospital 

for Cancer Research in the USA and its 

counterpart in Malta Puttinu Cares located 

at Mater Dei Hospital at the Anthony 

Mamo Oncology ward. 

iGaming Idol promised to deliver a red 

carpet Oscar’s like evening with Michael 

Casseli, Editor of iGaming Business and 

Becky Liggero, journalist and conference 

presenter from Calvin Ayre hosting the 

“Night of the Stars”. The organisers are 

aiming to attract a minimum of twohundred 

and fifty delegates to the iGaming 

idol Awards show and will be contributing 

ten percent of the ticket sales to the Malta 

Community Chest Fund. 

The Malta Gaming Authority and Malta 

Tourism Authority have confirmed their 

support towards this premium event. Mr 

Joseph Cuschieri, Executive Chairman 

of the MGA recently endorsed MiGS as 

one of the top events he has attended 

in Europe in terms of quality speakers, 

content as well as participants. He said 

that “MiGS has been instrumental in 

placing Malta on the map as a destination 

for a quality iGaming conference. Their 

consistent contribution to the industry in 

delivering valuable content, networking 

opportunities through their high caliber 

speakers and attendees is one of the best 

platforms for international executives 

to network, learn and share relevant 

information and knowledge.” 

Speakers and Topics 

The Hon Chris Cardona, Minister for the 

Economy, Investment and Small Business 

will kick-off the conference on the 

morning of the 8th November 2016, whilst 

speakers of the caliber of Joseph Cuschieri 

John Andrews 

- Executive Chairman of MGA, Anatoliy 

Knyazev - a founder of BitCoin, Martin 

Dreymann - Co-Founder of Ebettle, Mark 

Blandford - Founder of Sportingbet plc - 

Martha Sabol, Co-Chair Gaming Practice, 

Francesco Rodano - Chief Policy Officer, 

Playtech and Tim Rehder, CEO of Cubits, 

amongst others conference speakers that 

reign from the Industry, will provide their 

insights into this year’s theme entitled 

“Navigating Uncharted Waters”. 

The topics being debated are the growing 

costs from regulators, taxation, virtual 

currencies, player reactivation, eSports, 

Brexit and an IMGL Master Class that 

will cover new and changing markets 

amongst others. 

The hosts of the event will be one of 

the worlds iGaming experts Michael 

Caselli who will be chairing the 

conference on the 8th November 2016, 

iGaming Veteran AJ Thompson will take 

over the mantle for day two on the 9th 

November 2016, whilst Sue Schneider, 

considered the most recognised world 

leading expert in iGaming since 1995, 

is the conference chair and the 

main host of the event. 

The MiGS16 conference 

agenda evolves and 

improves every year 

utilizing input from 

trusted authorities, 

feedback from past 

attendees and the global 

industry at large. One of 

the major elements that 

attract 

MiGS 2016 

delegates to MiGS is the ability of the 

organisers to be innovative with their 

content delivery and networking, whilst 

the event annually retains the same high 

calibre expertise and experience with a 

major part of their annual speaker lineup 

being different. Over 93% of past 

delegates have expressed their intention 

to attend the next seminar. MBR 

Hon. Chris Cardona, Minister for the 

Economy, Investment and Small Business 

Joseph Cushieri, Executive Chairman of MGA 

42 43 



rempec 

Opening speech by Minister for Sustainable Development, the Environment and 

Climate Change José Herrera at the High Level Meeting of the Regional Marine 

Pollution Emergency Response Centre for the Mediterranean Sea (REMPEC) 

GREEN ENERGY MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE 

NAVIGATING THE GREEN ENERGY TRANSITION 

REMPEC acts as a regional Focal point 

in case of regional and international 

assistance. It coordinated, at regional 

level, the assistance provided to Lebanon 

after the 2006 Eastern Mediterranean oil 

spill and was involved in 2010 during the 

“Deepwater Horizon” oil spill in the Gulf 

of Mexico, acting as the regional entity to 

gather information on available response 

means that could be used in the response 

operation. 

Within this context, REMPEC would 

facilitate regional cooperation across 

countries, who would work together 

to prevent the deterioration of the 

environmental status of the Mediterranean 

region as a result of pollution incidents. 

This would not only achieve the 

requirements of the 2002 Prevention and 

Emergency Protocol and of the Offshore 

Protocol, but also the overall goals of 

the Barcelona Convention to protect and 

improve the marine environment in the 

Mediterranean. 

In this respect Malta reiterates its support 

for the implementation of the revised 

Mediterranean Strategy for Sustainable 

Development, which was reviewed during 

the 2013-2015 biennium when Malta 

held the Presidency of the Mediterranean 

Commission on Sustainable Development, 

and adopted earlier this year during the 

Conference of the Parties to the Barcelona 

Convention, in Athens. 

This strategy adapts the Sustainable 

Development Goals (SDGs) to a 

Mediterranean context and Malta 

believes that it is an invaluable tool for 

implementing the SDGs in a regional 

framework in an integrated and holistic 

way. 

In conclusion, in view of its important 

role in fostering the protection of the 

Mediterranean Sea from pollution in line 

with the global 2030 Agenda for Sustainable 

Development, I auger that REMPEC 

continues to render its excellent services to 

the region in the years ahead. MBR 

Malta is very proud to have hosted this 

important United Nations institution for 

four decades, and we in the environment 

sector are especially very proud of 

REMPEC and its work to help prevent and 

coordinate combating of marine pollution 

from ships in the Mediterranean. 

We are all aware of the importance of the 

Mediterranean Sea for global maritime 

shipping and at the same time of the semienclosed 

nature of this marine region, 

which renders it more vulnerable to 

pollution due to its limited water exchange. 

Pollution incidents such as oil spills and 

associated introduction of pollutants in 

the marine environment are linked to 

devastating impacts on marine and coastal 

ecosystems. The Barcelona Convention 

for the Protection of the Marine 

Environment and the Coastal Region of the 

Mediterranean Sea, under which REMPEC 

falls, is an important convention for 

Malta, due to our maritime vocation and 

geographic location in the Mediterranean 

Sea. 

Indeed, Malta attaches high priority and 

relevance to all matters concerning the 

Mediterranean region, and believes that 

environmental cooperation represents a 

strategic tool to contribute to the overall 

stability of the Mediterranean region. 

In this respect, Malta believes that the 

UNEP/MAP “Barcelona system” is a unique 

and valuable cooperative system for the 

protection of the marine environment 

in the Mediterranean region. Malta has 

always been actively supportive of the 

MAP system, particularly REMPEC, and we 

continue to highlight the importance of 

this centre to the Mediterranean region. 

The Mediterranean Action Plan continues 

to be an important and necessary tool for 

the protection of the economic, social, 

health and cultural value of the marine 

environment of the Mediterranean Sea 

area. 

In addition, in terms of assistance to 

countries in emergency situations, 

through its 24/7 availability enabling it to 

be reachable at any time, REMPEC can, 

on request, assist any Contracting Parties 

of the Barcelona Convention in case of 

an emergency. It can assist not only in 

the field of marine pollution response 

techniques, but also in the field of wildlife 

restoration and the forecasting of pollution 

drift, by means of various partnerships 

with relevant organisations. 

Some of these partners indeed provided 

their services though REMPEC during 

the oil spill in Lebanon in 2006 and on 

several other occasions. Furthermore, 

Courtesy: Ministry For Sustainable Development, 

The Environment And Climate Change 

VENUE: THE PALACE, SLIEMA 

DATE: FRIDAY, 25 th NOVEMBER, 2016 

Margaret Brincat M: +356 9940 6743 | margaret@mbrpublications.net 

Higland Apartment Flt - 1, Naxxar Road Birkirkara, BKR 9042 

44


EVENT VENUE 

iGAMING 


Launch of Unique Event Venues 

The Club House & The Vault 

Innovative Venues Launched by Innovent 

The Vault 

A 16th Century Hunting Lodge has been 

beautifully converted into a one of a kind 

event venue retaining its unquestionable 

soul. The traditional building, located in 

the midst of beautiful Maltese countryside 

maintains its authenticity. The living areas 

of the lodge, christened The Club House, 

are testament to its old world charm, 

brought up to date with a contemporary 

twist. 

Below the Club House lies the remarkable, 

converted, former subterranean stables. 

The Vault is a genuinely unique location, 

full of the original magic, character and 

soul of historic Malta. It now also offers all 

the facilities to transform it into the perfect 

space to truly create the “Wow” factor. 

The venue also features The Rooftop, an 

outdoor location with spectacular country 

views, an elegant atmosphere and the 

versatility to cater for both daytime and 

evening events. 

With over 30 years’ experience in Event 

Management and Entertainment, 

Innovent cater for a multitude of different 

requirements ensuring every event is a 

success. This new collection of exciting, 

authentically Maltese venues has just 

been launched during a preview evening 

where guests were invited to experience 

the ambience first hand. Two of the 

three venues have recently been restored 

Corporate Brief 

Innovent forms part of the Gianpula Village, a multi venue entertainment complex 

located in the limits of Rabat. The complex started life as a nightclub set up by the De 

Giorgio family in 1980 to cater for those who were looking for a different night out in 

Malta. Their son Matthew took over in 2005 with a clear vision to take the complex 

from one nightclub to a Village concept, offering various entertainment solutions. The 

secret to their recent success has been the ability to adapt to trends and the needs of 

the public. This has resulted in the creation of 9 distinct venues being created within 

the village offering different capacities and varying scope. The most recent additions 

to the Village are the corporate event venues The Club House and The Vault. Both 

venues have been fully converted to cater for corporate events and business meetings. 

and converted to the highest standards, 

offering unique yet complimentary event 

spaces like no other in Malta. 

All within one central, convenient location, 

the three independent, privately owned 

venues offer a truly unique setting. 

Venues can be hired independently or 

together, to go from day-time meeting to 

post-conference party or al-fresco dinner. 

Innovent can cater for any event, from 

intimate business meetings of 10 people 

to larger Team Building events, Corporate 

Meetings, Product Launches, Winter 

Weddings and Staff Parties of up to 500 

people. MBR 

Visit us on: https://innoventmalta.com/ 

Media Contact: 

Tappintomalta Ltd 

Tel: 27133903 

The Rooftop Lounge 

Careers Convention for 

SiGMA and MALTA GAMING WEEK 

By Special Correspondent 

The mantra “As strong as your weakest 

link” never applied better than in the 

case of Human Resources. Many gaming 

companies based in Malta have set up 

their own department for head hunting 

and recruitment, making sure that the best 

talent fills each and every vacancy available. 

So this year at SiGMA, during the last few 

hours, on day two between 2pm and 6pm, 

the doors will open for talented graduates 

and IT developers, but strictly by invite, for 

a careers convention. 

In the words of Eman Pulis, “Anyone who 

has been to any expo can attest that 

numbers tend to dwindle down a bit 

towards the end. So the timing seemed 

right for a careers convention to help 

meet the increasing demand for talent.” 

Graduates from the University of Malta, 

MCAST and various private institutes will 

be targeted and personally invited to this 

careers convention. Eman went on to 

elaborate, “We’ve quite literally embarked 

on a three month head-hunting mission for 

all, not only in Malta but also in Scandinavia, 

where request for Scandinavian talent is on 

the increase. Who knows? They might likely 

meet their best employer to date!” 

Between 2pm and 6pm on Day Two of the 

expo, the doors will open to graduates 

and IT developers who are looking at the 

possibility of a new career in iGaming. 

Partners MyEvetntsPlanner have secured 

solid partnerships with student faculty 

organizations ICTSA, ELSA, ASCS, UESA, 

GHSL and others. 

SiGMA’s ultimate goal is to bring the 

entire gaming community together, from 

affiliates and operators to regulators and 

vendors. However, this year, it also wants 

to serve the purpose of recruitment in 

Malta. In the words of SiGMA’s Dennis Dhyr 

Hansen, “It is well-known that recruitment 

remains one of the trickiest aspects, often 

leaving developers in short supply and an 

increasing number of graduates looking 

to form part of the gaming industry. This 

is where SiGMA can provide an excellent 

platform on Maltese shores.” 

When asked about the partnership with 

SiGMA, Managing Partner at Event Planner 

James Cassar said: “I’ve worked on various 

events with Eman for a long time and this 

partnership should pave the way for some 

great opportunities for graduates who are 

seeking a career in igaming. Through this 

event we want to create a bridge between 

students and the betting company world 

where great employment opportunities 

exist.” 

Those attending will be entitled to shop 

around the expo floor as well as attend 

a conference on Human Capital and 

Performance. Networking drinks and 

the closing party will also be accessible 

to the Careers Convention attendees. 

The organizers are signing the brightest, 

most experienced speakers from within 

and outside the industry, including TED 

speakers, covering a range of themes and 

paving the way for some animated panel 

discussions. 

The organisers have lined them up for you: 

100 speakers, 150 sponsors/exhibitors and 

3,000 quality attendees. MBR 

For further information visit: 

www.maltaigamingsummit.com 

46 47 



HEALTHCARE 

gozo: smes 


Why Sudden Cardiac Arrest is 

so deadly? 

Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is the most 

common cause of death from heart 

disease, accounting for more than 63 

percent of all cardiac deaths. In SCA, the 

heart suddenly stops beating normally. 

Without a blood supply, oxygen-starved 

organs are irreversibly damaged and will 

quickly fail...within a few minutes. 

The only effective treatment for SCA is 

Defibrillation. External defibrillation 

provides a brief, effective therapeutic 

electric shock through the person’s chest 

to the heart, restoring the heart’s normal 

rhythm. While people with heart problems 

are at high risk of death from SCA, it can 

strike anyone, anywhere, at any time 

without warning and in some cases is 

the victim’s only symptom. Even young 

people, people who appear to be healthy, 

extremely fit athletes and people with no 

history of heart problems can be victims of 

this silent killer. 

The definitive survival treatment for a SCA 

victim is a defibrillation shock. Cardio 

Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) or ‘chest 

compressions’ and ‘mouth-to-mouth’ 

breaths, only temporarily circulate blood 

if a casualty is not shocked 

within 5 minutes of collapse, 

he/she will have less than 50% 

chance of survival! 

to vital organs and on their own do not 

restore a patient's heart into a healthy 

rhythm - a Shock is needed…and fast! 

The average national response time for the 

arrival of emergency personnel equipped 

with defibrillators is usually greater than 10 

For further details, contact Technoline Ltd. Tel 21 344345 

- 15 minutes - this is just TOO LATE! That is 

why immediate access to defibrillators onsite 

is extremely important. Each minute 

of delay in delivering a defibrillation shock 

to a Cardiac Arrest victim reduces the 

chances of survival by 10% - Meaning 

that, if a casualty is not shocked within 5 

minutes of collapse, he/she will have less 

than 50% chance of survival! 

When a sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) 

strikes, the first few minutes are critical 

to survival. In the chaos and confusion 

surrounding the event, it can be 

challenging for the average rescuer, with 

only minimal training in CPR and AED 

use, to remember and follow the correct 

procedures. It’s during these critical 

minutes that the Powerheart AED G5 

becomes priceless. MBR 

SME week in Gozo 

Minister for Gozo Anton Refalo attended launching of a website geared specifically encouraged more people, and in particular 

a seminar entitled 'Preserving heritage towards SMEs in order to provide them younger ones, to seriously consider 

through Crafts', organized by Malta with information regarding investment the challenging but fulfilling life of an 

Enterprise in collaboration with the Ministry 

for the Economy, Industry and Small 

Businesses as part of the SME Week Malta 

2016, with particular emphasis on crafts. 

opportunities. The idea of the portal www. 

gozoartisans.com is to provide a common 

platform for Gozitan artisans. This excellent 

tool will enhance the online presence for the 

entrepreneur as a career option. This website 

will give recognition to entrepreneurs for 

their contribution to Europe's welfare, jobs, 

innovation and competitiveness. 

Minister Refalo noted with satisfaction the 

crafts businesses which one can find in Gozo, Refalo welcomed this initiative and thanked 

and increase their local and international Malta Enterprise for their hard and sterling 

visibility. This launch is just the beginning of 

a broader journey which will rope in other 

important stakeholders in Gozo. The focus 

is to help artisans, and to guide them on 

how they can tap into the opportunities 

offered to them with the aim of maximizing 

their business potential. The Ministry for 

Gozo is committed to attracting new types 

of businesses to Gozo, and this tool will 

work. The Minister for Gozo pledged the 

Government’s continuous support in the 

interest of small and medium enterprises, 

whom he described as the backbone of the 

local industry. He mentioned the €16 million 

investment at the former MDP, at tal-Ħofra, 

in the Xewkija Industrial Zone and also the 

infrastructural investment in the SME’s 

village in Xewkija. 

consolidate the Government’s vision in this 

sector. 

Minister Refalo noted that the main 

goals of the SME week are to provide 

information on what kind of support are 

being offered to micro, small and mediumsized 

businesses on both an EU and national 

level. Moreover, it showcases the help being 

offered by regional and local authorities, and 

promotes entrepreneurship.Minister Refalo 

Minister Refalo said that the next step is to 

attract investment which provides jobs for 

locals and those who decide to settle down 

in Gozo. Minister Anton Refalo emphasized 

that the Ministry for Gozo is fully committed 

in supporting such initiatives, which will 

improve SME’s business operations both 

locally and on an international platform. This 

is geared towards a healthier economy. 

Creditline: Ministry for Gozo/DOI 


48 49 



language & publishing 

SMEs & ENTREPRENEURSHIP 


The Road to Publication Success - Overcoming Challenges 

Faced by English-as-Second-Language Authors 

by Julian Tang 

Writing scientific content in English — 

when it is not your native language. 

Writing in any language is difficult, let 

alone writing in one that is not your native 

language. The challenge is compounded 

when writing research papers, which 

require academic rigour, experience and a 

specific set of skills. 

Why publishing in English is important 

If you are a researcher whose native 

language is not English, you need to first 

recognise that publishing in English is 

critical. As the international language, 

content published in English means 

maximum exposure, higher chances of 

being cited, and greater potential for 

collaborations with a global community of 

researchers. 

In scientific writing, there are a multitude 

of advantages to publishing your content 

in English. English articles involve a wider 

community and encourage knowledgesharing 

conversations in the STM (scientific, 

technical, medical) community. An analysis 

of the Science Citation Index shows that 

out of 3,729 journals in its database, as 

many as 96% are in English. 

As researchers, having your work cited is 

the next important step after publishing — 

work that is not read and not cited, makes 

no impact in the field and therefore negates 

the point of publication. Publications in 

English have higher change of being cited. 

Invariably, high-impact content tends to be 

presented in English. One only needs to call 

to mind major scientific publishers such 

as Springer, Science and Nature to know 

that leading journals are predominantly 

delivered in the English medium. 

Finally, English-medium publications — 

especially well cited ones — are increasingly 

a part of official evaluation in institutional 

contexts, for grants, fellowships and job 

applications. 

Region-specific content also benefit from 

being published in English 

In spite of the many advantages, some 

English-as-Second-Language (ESL) authors 

still avoid writing and publishing in English. 

Why? 

ESL authors cite a number of reasons for 

writing in their native languages. One is that 

they may have a domestic target audience 

in mind who will benefit from having 

the information presented in a familiar 

language. While this may seem helpful, it 

flies in the face of academia, which is to 

create a web of knowledge for colleagues 

who are not just in the next campus but 

across cities and national borders. 

Some ESL authors also find it challenging to 

convey their original ideas and reasoning 

in English. Due to the nuances available 

in their native languages, they prefer to 

avoid English simply because too much 

effort needs to be put into learning a new 

language from scratch. 

It flies in the face of 

academia, which is to 

create a web of knowledge 

for colleagues who are not 

just in the next campus but 

across cities and national 

borders. 

Why machine translations almost never 

work 

Contrary to common belief, scientific 

writing in English is not a simple case of 

translation. 

In particular, machine translations of 

academic writing — as well as proofreading 

— almost never work. Such tools, while 

Julian Tang is Medical Editor & Writer/Clinical 

Research Consultant at National Center for Child 

Health and Development 

ubiquitous, are hardly ideal in picking up 

technical language and often result in poor 

sentence construction, errors in syntax, 

and ultimately reduce the readability of 

the content. 

These issues increase the likelihood of 

subsequent rejection by professional 

language editors and journal editors 

alike. While some reviewers and editors 

of manuscripts may overlook errors like 

grammar, syntax and usage, and focus on 

the quality of the scientific arguments, 

manuscripts that are poorly composed run 

definite risks of being sidelined, especially 

when reviewed alongside concise pieces 

submitted for publication and funding. 

Be conscious also that your writing has a 

high chance of being read by an ESL reader. 

These readers are likely to benefit from 

concise writing following conventional 

usage of scientific language in English. 

Working with literacy brokers to perfect 

your work 

So what could ESL authors do? 

The key to success in publishing is having 

consistent interaction with as well as 

learning from “literacy brokers”. These are 

gatekeepers including editors (freelance, 

in-house or in external companies, 

particularly those from specific fields 

with in-depth knowledge of the paper 

being prepared), journal editors and peer 

reviewers. 

Start building your capacity for scientific 

writing in English 

Successful publication by ESL authors 

in English is attainable. First, recognise 

the benefits of writing, publishing and 

presenting your ideas in the language. 

Then, work to overcome hurdles through 

practice. Seeking professional assistance 

not only increases the chance of having 

your work accepted by major publishers, it 

also allows you to learn the concrete skills 

required in preparing your next successful 

publication. 

Learning to write well may seem a 

daunting task, but with practice and the 

right guidance, you can deliver a polished 

piece of work befitting the innovative ideas 

that you want to share. MBR 

Pan-European 

campaign 

coordinated by 

the European 

Commission 

promoting 

entrepreneurship 

in Europe 

Minister for the Economy, Investment 

and Small Business Chris Cardona and 

the Minister for Competitiveness, 

Digital, Maritime and Services Economy 

Emmanuel Mallia addressed the annual 

conference by GRTU as part of the 

activities making up SME week. SME week 

is a pan-European campaign coordinated 

by the European Commission that aims 

to promote entrepreneurship in Europe, 

and helps existing small and medium 

enterprises find information on available 

support. 

The GRTU’s conference, entitled ‘Gearing 

Maltese enterprises to conquer today’s 

challenges,’ was aimed at helping and 

directly address the individual and multiple 

challenges Maltese businesses face. A 

number of workshops were held on EU 

funding opportunities, digital marketing, 

internalisation and aid in exploring new 

markets, employment and innovation. 

Minister Cardona said the Government 

is committed in continuing to create 

favourable conditions for businesses 

to grow and innovate, whilst nurturing 

macroeconomic factors that harbour 

growth. Targeting SMEs is essential since 

they are the pillar of the Maltese economy, 

and it is down to these economic players 

that Malta currently boasts one of the 

fastest-growing and successful economies 

in Europe. 

“Keeping things into perspective is 

essential and we must remain conscious 

of the competition and actively identify 

the challenges SMEs face as we continue 

to increase our presence further as we 

compete globally,” said Minister Cardona. 

Minister Cardona assured everyone that 

the upcoming Budget for 2017 will continue 

to work for greater access to finance and 

support to innovative companies, whilst 

increasing the emphasis on investment in 

the country's infrastructure. 

Minister for Competitiveness, Digital, Maritime 

and Services Economy Emmanuel Mallia 

The World Economic Forum and the most 

recent Employee Skills Survey by Jobsplus, 

in collaboration with Malta Enterprise, 

both identified an inadequately-educated 

workforce as a current issue and one that 

the economy will be facing for the next 

couple of years. Cardona appealed to 

educators and employers alike the need 

to embrace a culture of in-house training 

and fostering the necessary motivation 

in students and employees for further 

specialization and development. 

Minister Mallia also stressed the necessity 

for businesses to adapt to the current 

digital age. 

“Digitalization has revolutionized the way 

we access information acting as the main 

threat to organizations or the solution they 

need to embrace in order to survive. It is 

foreseen that 75% of today’s businesses 

would not have the same format in ten 

years’ time,” said Minister Mallia. 

The growth of the digital economy brings 

upon us a new policy and regulatory 

challenges which need to be met with 

an according and timely fashion, capping 

on the European Union’s proposal of 

measures to support business entering 

new markets, with an investment of 50 

billion euros of public and private funds 

to upgrade Europe’s digital innovation 

capacities. 

The Minister described the vast 

opportunities the European Union offers 

in promoting SMEs, commencing from the 

Enterprise Europe Network, which brings 

together no less than 600 business support 

organisations, the European Commission’s 

programme designed for Competiveness 

Enterprise, COSME, as well as another 

programme directed towards SME’s 

Horizon 2020 targeting highly innovative 

SMEs, with strong ambition for growth, 

competitiveness and internationalisation. 

On a local level, a number of initiatives 

have been undertaken to ensure that we 

leverage the full potential of European 

Structural Investment Funds (ESIF) 

contribution to support local enterprises. 

With a budget of 454 billion euro for 

2014 to 2020, Minister Mallia added, 

the European Structural Investment 

Funds (ESIFs) will deliver a critical mass 

of investment in key EU priority areas by 

supporting job creation and getting the 

European economy growing once more in 

a sustainable way. 

Both Minster Cardona and Minister Mallia 

commended the GRTU for organizing a 

conference which aimed at challenging 

the attending businesses’ current setups, 

whilst also giving them the necessary 

encouragement and tools. MBR 

Courtesy: The Ministry For The Economy, Investment And 

Small Businesses And The Ministry For Competitiveness, 

Digital, Maritime And Services Economy 

Minister for the Economy, Investment and Small 

Business Chris Cardona 

50 


51


Government stocks 

LIFESTYLE 


Closure of 

the Malta 

Government 

Stock Issue - 

October 2016 

The Treasury announces that due to the 

strong demand for the stocks offered in 

the latest Malta Government Stock issuance, 

the subscription in the Malta Government 

Stocks was closed on Monday 17th October 

2016 at 2:30 pm shortly after the amount of 

applications received from members of the 

public exceeded the amount on issue and 

the overallotment option. In addition to the 

amount on issue, that is €100 million, the 

Treasury shall exercise its option to utilize 

the additional sum up to a maximum of €60 

million such that the aggregate amount to be 

allocated will be increased up to a maximum 

amount of €160 million. 

Deputy Prime Minister Mr Louis Grech 

recently met members of the Malta 

Bankers’ Association (MBA) to brief them 

about the Malta Development Bank (MDB) 

and discuss with them the role that the 

private banks will have in the new Bank’s 

operations. 

The Malta Development Bank will serve 

as a second-tier financial institution when 

private commercial banks fail to make 

appropriate financing available, or when 

such is offered, normal market terms are 

not given. 

During a presentation by Mr Rene Saliba, 

chairman of the Working Group appointed 

by the Deputy Prime Minister, it was 

revealed that the Group had identified a 

In this regard, the aggregate amount not 

exceeding €160 million shall be allotted 

to the members of the public in terms 

of the Allotment Policy stipulated under 

Paragraph 4 of the Prospectus dated 7th 

October 2016. The details of the allotment 

policy will be published by a Press Release 

and communicated on the Treasury’s 

website immediately after the vetting 

of applications for compliance with the 

The Malta Development Bank to play 

major role in plugging huge financing gap 

financing gap of between €2.3 billion-€3.1 

billion, which, if one included a large 

infrastructural project like the monorail or 

a light railway, this could easily reach €1.4 

billion - €2.3 billion. 

Mr Grech referred, in particular, to the 

assistance that the MDB could give to 

small and medium-sized enterprises, 

whose financing gap was estimated at 

between €334 million and €602 million. 

The Bank is expected to have an authorised 

capital of €200 million, allowing it to 

leverage this to around €1 billion of loans 

in due course. The initial paid-up capital 

is expected to be around €30 million, with 

further capital pay-ups depending on the 

growth of the Bank’s business. 

provisions of the prospectus. 

In view of the above, no further applications 

from the members of the public will be 

accepted and the auction which was 

scheduled to be held at noon on Monday 

24th October 2016 is being canceled as no 

volume is available for allocation under the 

auction/bid system. MBR 

Creditline: Ministry of Finance 

Mr Grech said that the setting up of such 

an institution will significantly extend 

Malta’s financial structure and contribute 

to economic growth. 

Representatives from APS Bank, Bank 

of Valletta, HSBC Bank, Lombard Bank, 

Medbank/Medcorp and MBA that were 

present for the meeting welcomed the 

establishment of the Bank and agreed 

that it would be a very useful institution 

complementing and supplementing the 

lending activities of the private banks. 

They exchanged views with the Deputy 

Prime Minister, Mr Saliba and the Deputy 

Governor of the Central Bank, Mr Alfred 

Mifsud, about various aspects of the 

proposed Banks’ operations. 

The Bank has already obtained the 

approval of the European Commission, 

after it was found to be in line with EU 

state aid rules. 

The Bank will be owned 100 percent by the 

Government and it will have a guarantee 

from the Maltese Government on both 

the assets and liabilities side, the extent 

of which will be negotiated between the 

Bank and the Ministry of Finance. MBR 

Creditline: THE MINISTRY FOR EUROPEAN 

AFFAIRS AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 

ELECTORAL MANIFESTO 

Simon Busuttil addresses 

European conference on 

Diabetes in Munich 

Earlier today the Leader of the 

Nationalist Party Simon Busuttil 

addressed a European conference on 

Diabetes organised by the Foundation 

of European Nurses in Diabetes (FEND) 

in Munch. The conference is bringing 

together some 250 nurses specialised in 

diabetes care from 30 different countries 

from around the world. 

Simon Busuttil addressed the conference 

on how the fight against diabetes can be 

stepped up by putting it higher on the 

political agenda at a national, European 

and global level. 

Over the past years, Simon Busuttil has 

been actively committed to the cause 

of diabetes, starting from his term as a 

Member of the European Parliament where 

he chaired the Diabetes Working Group 

and successfully piloted the adoption of 

a European Parliament resolution on the 

diabetes epidemic in March 2012. Later 

that year, he was awarded the MEP of the 

Year Award for his contribution to the fight 

against diabetes. 

In Maltese Parliament, Simon Busuttil 

was the pioneer, along with Government 

Whip, Dr Godfrey Farrugia, in establishing 

an informal Diabetes Working Group 

involving 11 MPs from both sides of the 

House. 

Addressing the conference in Munich, 

Simon Busuttil explained how the work in 

Malta led to diabetes being placed higher 

up the political agenda with the adoption 

of a report on Health Choices, with the 

enactment of a law on the Promotion 

of a Healthy Lifestyle and by actively 

supporting the Government in adopting a 

National Diabetes Strategy for Malta. 

Simon Busuttil said that the co-operation 

between decision-makers and stakeholders 

from industry, the professions and patients 

groups was instrumental in pushing this 

cause forward. 

“I have never seen this level of cooperation 

between policy-makers and 

stakeholders coming together on a specific 

objective and achieving concrete results in 

such a short span of time. But the fight 

must continue relentlessly. Every person 

who succumbs to diabetes is a person we 

should have saved.” he said. 

On a global level, Simon Busuttil has also been 

the Vice-President of the Parliamentarians 

for Diabetes Global Network (PDGN) for the 

past three years. MBR 

Further reading: 

European Parliament Resolution on addressing the 

EU Diabetes Epidemic: http://www.europarl.europa. 

eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//TEXT+TA+P7-TA- 

2012-0082+0+DOC+XML+V0//en 

Framework document on Health Choices http:// 

www.parlament.mt/health-choices 

Creditinfo Malta 

now accessible from your own software or point of 

sale system 

You may now integrate our Credit Risk management 

data directly into your own system: 

- Choose which data you want 

- Keep your own brand 

- Choose your own style 

Have it all in-house! 

2131 2344 

info@creditinfo.com.mt 

www.creditinfo.com.mt 

52 53 



building & CONSTRUCTION 

building & CONSTRUCTION 


Storm in a tea cup 

Implementation of tiles over membrane 

Implementation of Thermal membrane reduces heat by 90%. 

Waterproofing of bathrooms 

Waterproofing of planters with root repellant membrane 

By Antoine Bonello 

It is the time of the year when we 

experience our annual September/ 

October rain fall. This usually comes 

after a six month dry period of intensive 

heat. During this time of the year 

we experience a drastic temperature 

change, shorter days and lot of traffic. 

In short winter is coming back. But 

what exactly happens to our houses in 

summer and why many people endure 

water intake at this time of the year? 

The truth is that we live in an island 

surrounded by sea and our climate is 

very humid and salty, this mix of heat, 

humidity and salt is definitely not 

concrete friendly. Our concrete roofs 

expand with the summer heat and 

absorbs dew and moist in the evenings. 

This combination of heat and salt water 

rusts the iron bars inside the concrete 

structure, subjecting it to cracks 

and unwanted building damages. 

Over 80% of building damages is 

the result of water intake mostly 

due to bad waterproofing systems, 

improper plumbing installations 

(always implement waterproofing in 

bathrooms prior installation of pipes 

and drains), rising damp and drainage 

system. All this sounds catastrophic 

and should be a matter of concern, 

yet in reality with proper products and 

good workmanship there is no reason 

for any alarm. 

All the above mentioned problems can 

be solved with a proper waterproofing 

resin membrane. A waterproofing 

membrane is a thin layer of water-tight 

material that is laid over a surface. 

This layer is continuous and does not 

allow water to pass through it. For 

example, on a roof or flat terrace, a 

waterproofing membrane could be laid 

above the structural slab and below 

the finish tiles. This will ensure that 

water does not seep into the structural 

slab. The tiles and membrane must be 

laid over a filler material that is sloped 

to ensure that water flows into sumps 

and drains and does not seep into the 

slab over time. 

There are essentially two types of 

membranes, sheet (carpet) based 

membranes and liquid applied 

membranes. The first one is mainly 

made from bitumen, it is non-elastic, 

creates heat intake and tends to open 

from seams when subject to concrete 

movements. This type of membrane is 

recommended for foundations only. 

A good outdoor waterproofing 

membrane for outdoor must be should 

be strong, flexible, tear-resistant and 

elastic so that it can stretch to cover 

cracks and also move with the building. 

If the membrane is to be exposed to 

the sun, then it should be UV resistant. 

The membrane should be flexible 

enough to take any shape it is laid over, 

and be capable of turning up and over 

walls and other construction features. 

Liquid applied membranes come to 

the site in liquid form, which are then 

either sprayed or brush-applied on the 

surface. The liquid cures in the air to 

form a seamless, joint-free membrane. 

The thickness can be controlled by 

applying more of the liquid chemical 

per unit area. 

Since the application procedure is very 

quick, a contractor will try and finish 

the entire area to be waterproofed 

in a single day to avoid cold joints. 

However, if a very large area is to be 

done on successive days, cold joints 

can easily be done by overlapping 

the new membrane over the old - the 

chemical will stick to itself readily. 

These are generally considered to be 

superior to sheet based membranes 

as they are joint-free. However care 

must be taken in application and the 

type of material. Avoid plastic and 

acrylic based membranes and they 

lack UV resistance and will flake. 

The result is a fast deterioration and 

product failure when you need it the 

most. The intensive heat and high 

UV Rays makes life difficult for these 

products to lust long maybe a winter 

or two. An Important factor is the 

environment, Bitumen products melt 

at low temperatures, create heat 

intake and are considered a hazard to 

the environment. They are not suitable 

is you have wells and are considered 

toxic. 

The membrane can tear or break if it is 

too thin always make sure to apply the 

right thickness, minimum three coats 

after the application of a primer to 

create a good adhesion. 

How can we identify a good 

waterproofing product? 

• UV Stability - if the membrane is 

to be exposed to the sun, it must 

carry UV resistant mark or else it 

will degrade over time. 

• Elongation - this is the ability of 

the membrane to stretch. It is 

measured in percentages. An 

Water reppelant transparent membrane 

elongation of 150% means that 

the membrane can stretch to 1.5 

times its length when pulled. This 

property will allow the membrane 

to stretch over cracks that may 

develop in the future 

• Tear Resistance - this is an 

important property, as many 

membranes that have good 

elongation also can tear easily. You 

are looking for a membrane that 

will not tear even if a reasonable 

force is exerted on it. 

• Chemical stability - check that 

the membrane is chemically inert 

with respect to its environment in 

the building., especially outside 

basement walls were they are 

exposed to soil and rainwater. 

• Case Studies - ask the manufacturer 

We are Quality 

PROFESSIONAL WATERPROOFING MATERIALS & RESIN FLOORINGS 

Visit our showroom for professional advice on how to protect your home. 

The Resin and Membrane Centre, 264, Old Railway Track, St. Venera 

Web: www.theresincentre.com E-mail: info@theresincentre.com Tel: 27 477 647 Mob: 99 477 647 

or importer to give you case 

studies where the membrane has 

been used.. 

Quality materials and properly trained 

installers is the secret to a perfect 

waterproofing. The idea of one material 

fit all is just a fairy tale, especially 

when it comes to waterproofing. 

Product knowledge and how to use 

them correctly is the secret of an able 

installer. The Malta Waterproofing and 

Resin Flooring Association provide 

technical knowledge and professional 

formation to all Maltese installers who 

wish to improve their workmanship 

or start a carrier in the waterproofing 

business. The Association also assists 

its members by providing the services 

of a profession advisor when facing 

challenging situations or other 

difficulties during their works. The 

Association also provides its qualified 

members the Certified Installers Card. 

This is done to reassure the general 

public that the person has all that is 

required for a job carried out at its best. 

All this is being made possible thanks 

to the Resin and Membrane Centre 

and NAICI International Academy. MBR 

54 55 



CONSTRUCTION 

FINANCIAL ACADEMY 


Creditinfo Group 

launches Creditinfo 

Academy website 

Using Aerial Drones 

in Construction 

By Katja Knox 

Creditinfo Academy was established with 

Group, is a skills development and 

with clients. They have to be adept with 

When it comes to surveying your site 

before renovation works, accuracy is key. 

Knowing where the issues are is only one 

aspect of planning the renovation works; 

you also need to be aware of the type of 

damage before setting a budget. 

In the last few years, the use of aerial 

drones has become more commonplace 

in the construction industry. Many 

companies are finding that drones can 

play a vital role in their work. Whether 

they’re used for surveying, showing 

clients an aerial overview of completed 

projects, monitoring jobsites to ensure 

safe practices or inspect structures, 

drones have the potential to become as 

important a tool to the industry as any 

piece of yellow iron. 

Aerial roof surveys are most commonly 

required by roofing professionals in 

domestic situations, although they can 

also be used efficiently by architects, 

property developers and insurance 

companies. Drones can help bring a 

unique perspective by providing a third, 

vertical dimension and accessing places 

previously cost-prohibitive with minimum 

impact. 

unlike a cherry picker or scaffolding that 

may obstruct an entrance or occupy 

parking spaces, a safe zone can be 

established away from the building. And 

because no cherry pickers or scaffolding 

is needed, survey times can be drastically 

reduced. 

But the greatest benefit in using drones 

must be access. In some circumstances 

it may not be physically possible to use a 

cherry picker or scaffolding to reach a roof 

or high-level elevation due to access or 

weight constraints, which could result in 

very high costs. Using drones can therefore 

also be cost-effective compared to other, 

more traditional methods of surveying. 

However, weather can play havoc on 

drones, and it’s not advisable to fly a drone 

in strong or gusting winds. The wind can 

push the drone off course and if they strike 

a tree or building, you could be looking at 

a replacement or potentially worse. You 

also need to be aware of the issues around 

flying drones on a commercial basis, and 

the responsibilities with regard to flight 

safety and maintenance procedures, and 

the understandable issues around privacy. 

What do you think? Are drones the way 

forward in surveying construction sites? 

Take part in the discussion on the above 

and email us your views/feedback at: 

martin@mbrevents.com MBR 

the purpose to assist the development 

of sustainable financial and credit 

management, assisting businesses 

with increasing their efficiency through 

innovative technologies. The objective 

is to offer diversified range of training 

which will help organizations as well as 

customers to enhance their financial 

responsibility. Creditinfo Academy’s 

mission is to stipulate responsible lending 

practices through the involvement of 

financial literacy programs. We believe 

that Creditinfo Academy, through its 

courses, can influence the development 

towards more sustainable and financial 

inclusive economy. In order to be closer 

to our clients, partners and past and 

future students, we are launching the 

Creditinfo Academy website: www. 

creditinfoacademy.com, where you can 

explore more about us and our training 

offering. 

Creditinfo Academy, part of Creditinfo 

training provider that delivers generic 

and customized training services. Our 

focus, at Creditinfo Academy, is to 

provide training for clients wanting 

to develop their skills to improve 

operational efficiency and overall 

business performance; as well as train 

consumers and assist public sector in 

their quest for financial inclusion. 

We have identified that one of the 

challenges facing financial institutions, 

especially FinTech companies, is the 

fast pace of technological developments 

and FinTech innovations, which happens 

around the globe. The issue here is to 

ensure that the staff, managing those 

new products and digitalized lending 

processes, possess a relevant set of 

skills. The conservative approach 

towards credit control and monitoring 

won’t work in this case. 

Credit officers are no longer dealing with 

Excel spreadsheets and direct interviews 

new technologies, understand the latest 

products, and understand the trends, as 

well as the new risks which come with 

it. This is why we established Creditinfo 

Academy – to assist those professionals 

with such challenges. Credit Risk 

Management is not only about analyzing 

credit applications, and overlooking loan 

portfolios, it starts with acquiring the client 

through various new means, managing 

and monitoring to the follow ups. 

We offer various seminars, for example, 

”Improving your Credit Risk Management 

practices”; “Fraud Risk Management “ 

– a series of workshops and “Advanced 

Credit Scoring” to mention just a few. 

In October, we will conduct a three-day 

specialized seminar on Advanced Credit 

Scoring – one will be held in Nairobi 12- 

14 October and the second one, in Dar 

es Salaam 19-21 October 2016. 


More info can be found on our website 

www.creditinfoacademy.com 

There are several benefits of using a drone: 

there’s the reduced health and safety risk 

to boot; there are no people, plants or 

other obstructions up in the air. There’s 

also the aspect of minimal disruption; 

www.creditinfoacademy.com 

56 57 



newsmakers 


Submissions for The Malta 

Television Awards 2017 will 

close on 31st October 2016. Join in the 

Further Channel Islands expansion for Equiom 

International trust and corporate services 

provider, Equiom has announced the 

appointment of Jason Woodhard as a Senior 

Manager joining the Business Development 

team. 

Based in the Guernsey office, Jason will be 

responsible for developing and maximising 

Equiom’s new business opportunities across the 

Group’s multiple jurisdictions. Working closely 

with Richard Tribe, Global Business Development 

Director, Jason’s role will centre around expanding 

Equiom’s presence in Guernsey and UK markets. 

Jason joins Equiom with extensive financial 

services experience, having worked in the 

industry for over 25 years. During this period, he 

has developed skills in the area of dealing with 

non-domiciled UK residents and has built up a 

number of key relationships with UK tax advisers. 

Speaking of his appointment, Jason said: ‘Equiom 

is a dynamic and growing company and I’m 

excited to become part of the team. Equiom has 

excitement and prestige 

on Awards Night! Don't 

miss out on your chance 

to be recognised and 

honoured for your work. 

Submissions may be 

submitted on-line or by 

physically submitting 

the material at the 

relative television 

station. Applications, 

information on 

categories and rules and 

regulations may be obtained from our 

website: 

(www.themaltatelevisionawards.com). 

a world class reputation and an impressive track 

record of delivering excellent services to its client 

base. I look forward to working with Richard and 

the team and assisting in driving the business 

forward.’ 

Richard Tribe, Global Business Development 

Director commented: ‘I am very pleased to 

welcome Jason to the Guernsey team. He brings 

with him invaluable fiduciary experience and 

has built up a strong reputation as a leading 

professional in the financial services industry 

over his career to date. Jason will be an asset 

to the team and I have no doubt he will hit the 

ground running thanks to his excellent technical 

knowledge in areas such FATCA, US tax reporting 

and non-domiciled UK residents.’ 

This news follows Equiom’s acquisition of Links 

Group, which sees the business enter two new 

jurisdictions - the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. 

www.equiomgroup.com MBR 

Those of you who still have not liked our 

Facebook page, please do so as we will be 

posting updates regularly on this social 

media. Modestly, we can say that our 

responses to your enquiries are dealt with 

immediately. 

Watch clips and Awards night of past years 

by visiting our Facebook page. They will 

surely bring back some nostalgia! 

You may contact us via email: 

info@themaltatelevisionawards.com 

Facebook Msg The Malta Television 

Awards or by calling : 79441166 

Good luck! 

Announcement of the 

Interest Rates of two 

Floating Rate Malta 

Government Stocks 

The Treasury hereby announces that the 

interest rates in respect of Floating Rate Malta 

Government Stock 2017 (V) linked to the 

six-month Euribor and Floating Rate Malta 

Government Stock 2018 (IV) linked to the sixmonth 

Euribor have been set as follows: 

Air Malta at University and MCAST 

Freshers’ Activities 

Floating Rate Malta Government Stock 

2017 (V) 

• The interest rate of Floating Rate Malta 

Government Stock 2017 (V) linked to the 

six-month Euribor for the period from 

5th September, 2016 to 4th March, 2017 

(both dates inclusive) shall be 0.707% pa. 

Such interest rate is reset and based on 

the six-month Euribor as determined and 

published on Thursday 1st September, 

2016 at -0.193% plus a spread of 90 basis 

points. 

Floating Rate Malta Government Stock 

2018 (IV) 

Travelling abroad to study has never been 

so cost-effective following the launch of Air 

Malta’s student offer. This offer, entitling 

students to a total of 50kg worth of luggage 

for free, even when travelling on its lowest 

fares, was promoted during the freshers’ 

activities currently being organised at the 

University of Malta and MCAST. Air Malta 

staff present at these events explained the 

perks of the offer and showed students 

step by step how one can apply online. The 

airline’s staff also explained the airline’s flight 

• The interest rate of Floating Rate Malta 

Government Stock 2018 (IV) linked to the 

six-month Euribor for the period from 

5th September, 2016 to 4th March, 2017 

(both dates inclusive) shall be 0.907% pa. 

Such interest rate is reset and based on 

the six-month Euribor as determined and 

published on Thursday 1st September, 

2016 at -0.193% plus a spread of 110 basis 

points. 

This announcement is issued pursuant to 

para 7(g) and para 7 (h) of the Prospectus 

published in the Government Gazette of the 

21st August, 2012 under Government Notice 

No. 874. MBR 

schedule and route network and distributed 

branded mouse mats, sun visors, pens and 

stickers. 

The initiative is available for all students who 

are currently pursuing a full time educational 

programme in Malta or abroad. To register 

from this offer students are invited to visit 

http://www.airmalta.com/we-caremore/ 

student-s-offer-extra-bag-of-checked-inluggage 

and complete an online form at least 

five working days before travelling. MBR 

58 


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