MBR SEPTEMBER ALL LR

COVER STORY 

INNOVATING FOR THE FUTURE 

Interview with Roderick Psaila, 

Chief Executive Officer with 

AgriBank p.6 

IN-DEPTH INTERVIEW SERIES 

EMPOWERING ORGANISATIONS 

TO IMPROVE THEIR CUSTOMER 

ENGAGEMENT 

Philip Micallef, member of the company 

board of directors, iMovo Ltd. discusses 

his new role p.12 

SPECIAL REPORT 

DRONES HELP MALTESE 

FARMERS IDENTIFY WATER 

SHORTAGES 

How using aerial photography and 

videography is helping agricultural 

needs p.16 

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW 

HONESTY, RESPECT & LOYALTY 

MBR interviews George Mifsud, 

Managing Director of Deco 

Manufacturing Limited p.18 

MALTA BUSINESS REVIEW 

ISSUE 35 | 2017

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your perfect atmosphere 

Malta Business Review 

COVER STORY 

6 INNOVATING FOR THE FUTURE 

Roderick Psaila, Chief Executive Officer with Agri Bank 

tell us why it is time to diversify into different business 

streams, not only agriculture– but also corporate services 

IN-DEPTH INTERVIEW SERIES 

12 EMPOWERING ORGANISATIONS TO IMPROVE 

THEIR CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT 

Philip Micallef, member of the company board of 

directors, iMovo Ltd. discusses his new role 

SPECIAL REPORT 

16 DRONES HELP MALTESE FARMERS IDENTIFY 

WATER SHORTAGES 

How using aerial photography and videography is helping 

agricultural needs 


18 HONESTY, RESPECT & LOYALTY 

MBR interviews George Mifsud, Managing Director of 

Deco Manufacturing Limited 

TRANSPORT & LOGISTICS 

20 EXPRESS TRAILERS BUILDS FIRST OF ITS KIND 

SIDE LOADER IN THE WORLD 

We learn more about Express Trailers’ recent delivery of its 

latest re-conditioned side-loader 

6 

12 18 

OUR GOLDEN PARTNERS 

CONTENTS 

Issue 35 

FEATURES 

24 BLOCKCHAINS KEEP US TOGETHER 

How encrypted databases and cryptocurrencies could 

transform the way contracts are managed and payments 

are sent within the construction industry 

34 2017 SKILL GAMES 

James Scicluna, Partner and Co-Founder at WH Partners, 

writes about ‘Skills games – Malta’s cutting edge approach 

to regulation 

36 MALTA’S FIRST BLOCKCHAIN APPLICATION 

LAUNCHED 

We find out more about David Schranz and businessman 

Anthony Mamo who after 20 months of research and 

development, launched the first locally built Distributed 

Ledger Application 

40 MARTIN LANNI, CEO OF QUANTUM AVIATION, 

ON WHY DRONES ARE A RISKY BUSINESS 

Discover more about drones with Martin Lanni, CEO of 

Quantum Aviation Ltd, a British company providing 

airspace security and maritime aviation services 

46 POLITICO PLAYBOOK PLUS 

We pick our monthly guide’s most absorbing stories of 

what’s happening in Brussels and the EU 

REPORTS & AWARDS 

34 36 

48 IN THE DRIVING SEAT: INSIDE THE TREND 

FOR DESIGN-IT-YOURSELF LUXURY CARS 

The design-it-yourself approach is spreading through 

the motoring world, says Simon de Burton... 

50 FONDAZZJONI PATRIMONJU MALTI 

COLLABORATES IN A MAJOR EXHIBITION 

ON PICASSO AND MIRÓ 

We bring you the latest art exhibition organised by 

Fundacion MAPFRE 

52 MEPS PRESENT THE EUROPEAN CITIZENS' 

PRIZE 2017 TO THE GĦAQDA KAŻINI 

TAL-BANDA 

MBR covers European Citizens' Prize 2017 


PUBLISHER 

MBR Publications Limited 

OFFICES 

Highland Apartment - Level 1, 

Naxxar Road, 

Birkirkara, BKR 9042 

+356 2149 7814 

EDITOR 

Martin Vella 

TECHNICAL ADVISOR 

Marcelle D’Argy Smith 

SALES DIRECTOR 

Margaret Brincat 

DESIGN 

MBR Design 

ADVERTISING 

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

Email: margaret@mbrpublications.net 

or admin@mbrpublications.net 

CONTRIBUTORS 

Quentin Ariès; Antoine Bonello; Anthony Brown; 

Simon de Burton; George Carol; Harry Cooper; 

Jean Paul Demajo; Martin Lanni; Terence 

Mirabelli; James Scicluna 

SPECIAL THANKS 

Demajo Dental; DOI; European Parliament 

Information Office in Malta; European Research 

Council; OPR; PN Media; POLITICO SPRL; Taylor 

& Francis Group; The Parliamentary Secretariat 

For Financial Services, Digital Economy And 

Innovation; The InterNations Press Team, 

InterNations GmbH 

PRINT PRODUCTION 

Printit 

QUOTE OF THE MONTH 

“I always did something that I was a little not 

ready to do. I think that, that is how you grow. 

When there’s a moment of ‘Wow, I’m not so 

sure that I can do this, and you push through 

those moments, it’s then that you have a 

breakthrough. Sometimes that’s a sign that 

something really great is about to happen. 

You’re about to grow and learn a lot more 

about yourself.” 

Marissa Mayer, CEO of Yahoo 

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. 

Talk to us: 

E-mail: martin@mbrpublications.net 

Twitter: @MBRPublications 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/MaltaBusinessReview 

EDITORIAL 

Martin Vella 

Editor-in-Chief 


Somewhat, I seem to have retreated a bit in my shell in the past weeks 

and months. I guess I was on a self-discovery mission. Somehow, I 

was just plain frustrated about how things were going – starting with 

Trump, the recent Maltese elections, the North Korean nuclear crisis to 

dissatisfaction about the progress within EU structures. 

The more I study and read, the more I come to the conclusion (again) 

that economic theory helps getting our economy right just as much as 

snake oil can cure a broken leg. I am beginning to think that the biggest 

fallacy is to try to put a rationale into economic behaviour. We have 

long come to the conclusion that the "homo economicus" does not 

exist and never did exist. 

I believe John Maynard Keynes was right when he wrote: "The ideas of economists and political philosophers, 

both when they are right and when they are wrong are more powerful than is commonly understood. 

Indeed, the world is ruled by little else. Practical men, who believe themselves to be quite exempt from any 

intellectual influences, are usually slaves of some defunct economist." I view Keynes more of a philosopher 

and politician than an economist. 

At least I seem to have recovered from the low and I am finding some direction again. Looks like it just needed 

time for my recent diagnosis and successful surgery to rediscover a better well-being. Doing research from 

my desk in the virtual media is not inspiring enough. I need to be more in contact with the real world. For 

that reason, I have decided to make best of my free time. I need to have a retreat and regenerate, time to 

think and re-discover my amazing journey of self-discovery! Only problem is that I cannot beat the retreat! 

Regrettably (and apparently), frustration and vexation have become the order of the day, and nothing seems 

to be moving in the right direction. As the unabated problem of illegal migration persists, we are witnessing 

powerful monster hurricanes, experiencing blistering sweltering nauseating heat waves, and yes, Malta 

never seems to bemuse and disconcert! It seems that people here, in their hurry to make it to work, rush off 

or return back home, tend to forget their manners and their education behind. Drivers and motorists seem 

to torch their way past by, oblivious of the world around them! The more you think and worry, the more 

frustration grows and as much as the widespread chaos is becoming endemic. Indeed, the biggest fallacy is 

to try to put a rationale behind anything and any behaviour. 

Keynes was more of a philosopher than a politician, or an economist. However, the advent of the global 

financial crisis of 2007–08 caused a resurgence in Keynesian thought. Keynesian economics provided the 

theoretical underpinning for economic policies undertaken in response to the crisis by President Barack 

Obama, Prime Minister Gordon Brown of the United Kingdom, and other heads of governments. Keynes 

said capitalism was a good economic system. In a capitalist system, people earn money from their work. 

Businesses employ and pay people to work. Then people can spend their money on things they want. Other 

people work and make things to buy. Sometimes the capitalist system has problems. People lose their work. 

Businesses close. People cannot work and cannot spend money. Keynes said the government should step in 

and help people who do not have work. This idea is called "demand-side policy". If people are working, the 

economy is good. If people are not working, the economy is bad. And that is why, I suppose, the Maltese 

economy is doing so well! 

Some people, such as conservatives, libertarians, and people who believe in Austrian economics, do 

not agree with Keynes' ideas. They say government work does not help capitalism. They say when the 

government borrows money, it takes money away from businesses. They do not like Keynesian economics 

because they say the economy can get better without government help. 

The biggest winner in the German elections was the four-year-old Alternative for Germany, or AfD. It finished 

third after a campaign that centered on shrill criticism of Merkel and her decision in 2015 to allow large 

numbers of migrants into Germany, but also harnessed wider discontent with established politicians. Coleader 

Alexander Gauland struck a harsher tone, vowing that "we will take our country back" and promising 

to "chase" Merkel. Major Jewish groups expressed dismay at the AfD's showing, with the World Jewish 

Congress calling the party "a disgraceful reactionary movement which recalls the worst of Germany's past." 

Meanwhile, Marine Le Pen, the runner-up in France's presidential election tweeted "Bravo to our allies from 

AfD for this historic score!". "It's a new symbol of the awakening of the peoples of Europe." God forbid a farright 

party leading the opposition in Germany! 

Yes, unfortunately, it is somehow frightening to watch economic developments; nobody seems to have 

learned anything from the last financial crisis. The sharks, vultures and hyenas all seem to be ready in place 

again. 

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


COVER STORY OF THE MONTH 

COVER STORY OF THE MONTH 


Ready for the Challenge 

by George Carol 

Roderick Psaila has passed his whole career in the banking sector. Academically qualified as a banker 

and economist, Roderick started his working life at the Central Bank of Malta, where he spent eighteen 

years - taking out a short period when he was engaged by the European Central Bank - before 

taking the plunge into the industry locally in 2008. AgriBank is Roderick’s third bank he 

started himself and he has occupied the position of CEO from day one. 

MBR: Would you say it is time to diversify 

into different business streams? 

RP: Yes. The Board has for the last year been 

actively discussing diversification of our 

banking model and a decision was taken a 

few months ago on how to move from being 

a monoline bank to opening up and which 

business streams the Bank would delve into 

as from this year. So yes, the time is now. 

MBR: Now when you talk about the strategy, 

the overall strategy, up till now, as that the 

bank has focused on interest income, now 

you are moving to fee income. How is the 

bank preparing for this change? 

RP: AgriBank is now moving towards offering 

corporate banking services, starting with 

opening bank accounts for corporates and 

servicing those accounts with the required 

payments. Without doubt, it was a challenge 

to adapt from being a lending bank to 

offering other services. We invested in new 

technology, systems, human resources and 

knowledge. I reiterate though, when the 

fundamentals are strong and when one has 

a team of professionals who are willing to 

step up to the plate, then looking back to the 

last three months, we all agree that it was an 

enjoyable experience. 

MBR: Is AgriBank thinking about diversifying 

into other jurisdictions and industry sectors, 

aside from UK and agriculture? 

RP: Indeed, we are targeting companies 

registered in Malta and belonging to different 

industries, even though the plan is to focus 

mainly on a particular sector during the 

last quarter of 2017, namely gaming. This 

means that the Bank will be able to achieve 

significant diversification in its model, both in 

terms of interest income-to-fee income, from 

servicing UK clients to accepting companies 

locally, and also from Agriculture to a wider 

spectrum of industries, hence strengthening 

AgriBank’s banking model immediately. 

MBR: How does AgriBank expect to 

beat competition locally for this market 

segment? What kind of service and support 

will you be able to offer? 

CFO – Paul Grech; CEO – Roderick Psaila 

MBR: You have been AgriBank CEO for five 

years or so. Of which, if you had to pick one, 

achievement have you been most proud? 

RP: You are right, five years at the end of 

October as CEO and a year before that, in 

which in tandem with the CFO of the Bank, 

Paul Grech, we obtained the bank licence and 

set AgriBank up from scratch. I am actually 

proud of what we have achieved during these 

five years, where we have built a bank which 

is not just able to address today’s challenges 

but can easily be scaled up without breaking 

up the present structure. 

Certainly, if I had to choose one achievement, 

it will have to be the team of colleagues I have 

managed to amass, a group which is relatively 

young, knowledgeable, motivated and still 

with the fire in the belly to achieve more. 

MBR: How were these years and can you tell 

us about the main challenges AgriBank faces 

today and how your past in the regulatory 

sector assisted with these tests? 

RP: AgriBank has not been designed as the 

typical brick and mortar retail bank, similar 

to the conventional banks which us Maltese 

are familiar with. In building this Bank, we 

had to regularly break into new grounds and 

our regulatory knowledge and interpretation 

of the banking rules was fundamental. We 

started by passporting the banking licence 

issued by the MFSA to the UK, so we could 

do business there. The Bank reaches out 

to farmers in the UK through brokers and 

finances their ongoing farming projects 

including green energy initiatives, and 

therefore a solution had to be found on 

how to channel the funds to farmers and be 

able to receive the servicing of the loans in 

an efficiently manner. Another innovative 

move was to gather deposits online from the 

UK, using comparative websites and online 

due diligence of UK depositors. Massively 

successful. 

AgriBank is now moving 

towards offering corporate 

banking services, starting with 

opening bank accounts for 

corporates and servicing those 

accounts with the required 

payments. 

Building the loan portfolio though, in such 

a niche market was not easy and despite a 

number of setbacks along the way, the Board 

had decided to persist in achieving our breakeven 

point singularly through the Agriculture 

lending model. And here we are. 

The Team 

RP: There are two answers to your question. 

As statistics show, the local economy has been 

growing at an impressive pace in the last years 

and most of this growth has been fuelled by 

the private sector. Foreign direct investment 

has been flowing to Malta and hundreds of 

new companies are being registered every 

month. The Banking sector on the other hand 

has struggled to keep up with this pace and 

more often than not, companies are finding it 

difficult or at least time-consuming to obtain 

banking services. Thus, the first answer is 

that there is space for new participants in the 

market. The second answer is that we will not 

compete on pricing but on agility and quality 

of service delivered to clients. I do have the 

utmost respect for my fellow bankers but we 

believe that we can do better. My team has 

been preparing to go live for the last three 

months, particularly with the upgrading of 

our banking system and the introduction of a 

new internet banking platform, which is very 

user friendly. 

AgriBank is ready for the challenge. 

MBR: What has contributed to the stability 

in board and senior management? 

RP: Perseverance and determination. Each 

one of us is determined to make this bank a 

success. Indeed, the Bank has a very strong 

board of directors. All directors bring different 

skills to the table. Joe Borg as Chairman is one 

of the prominent legal minds on the island; 

Victor Rizzo Giusti is a banker with expertise 

in compliance and risk, and he also Chairs 

the Credit Risk Committee of the Bank; Frank 

Sekula worked for banks like Jefferies and 

Barclays Capital during his career; Stephen 

Muscat is a seasoned accountant and Chairs 

the Audit Committee of the Bank; and 

Mario Vella has held top positions at HSBC, 

particularly in credit. Paul Grech as CFO 

and myself are the two Executive Directors 

who also sit on the Board. Most of us have 

been here from the outset and this provides 

continuity and the appropriate support to the 

whole team. 

the Bank will be able to achieve 

significant diversification in 

its model, both in terms of 

interest income-to-fee income, 

from servicing UK clients to 

accepting companies locally, 

and also from Agriculture 

MBR: How important is corporate 

governance for the Bank? 

RP: It is key to our operations at AgriBank. In 

fact, the Board meets at least eight times in a 

year, which is unusual for small banks like ours 

and every board meeting is minuted in detail. 

Same goes for the Credit Risk Committee and 

the Audit Committee, and these minutes are 

kept up to date and verified by all members. 

It is important to note that the majority of the 

board members of the Bank are independent. 

MBR: Is there any specific industry you are 

going to target more than others at the 

outset? 

RP: As mentioned above, the Bank will 

address the shortage of banking services 

being offered to gaming companies by the 

local banking sector. As a principle, we prefer 

to transact with regulated entities and the 

excellent job carried out by the Malta Gaming 

Authority in regulating and supervising 

gaming companies gives the Bank comfort. 

Hence going forward, gaming companies 

registered in Malta have the opportunity 

to avail themselves of professional banking 

services locally. Naturally, extensive due 

diligence will be performed on each applicant 

and the risk profile of the prospective client 

will have to be within the parameters of 

risk appetite established by the Board. The 

difference that we plan to make is that the 

onboarding process will be quick and efficient. 

MBR: Is there any intention to start even 

more business streams, going forward? 

RP: There certainly is and the Bank is 

already making preparations to embark on 

new challenges. However, in line with our 

philosophy, we shall introduce additional 

business streams only once we have 

established ourselves in what the Bank is doing 

at present. The Bank will succeed but shall not 

take unnecessary risks along the way. MBR 

All rights reserved - Copyright 2017 

6 7 



NOTICE UNDER ART. 21 OF THE PRESS ACT 

DataByte Workforce 

The Cloud HR suite 



Reference is made to the statement of Mr 

Jason Attard of Effective Marketing Ltd 

published in The Malta Independent on 

Sunday 3rd September 2017 regarding the 

dismissal of Ms Margaret Brincat following a 

report regarding the decision of the Industrial 

Tribunal carried on TMIS on Sunday, 13 

August 2017; and letter sent to the Editor, 

with unfounded allegations regarding Messrs 

Margaret Brincat, Martin Vella, and their 

company, intended to cause significant harm 

to their good name and reputation. This is a 

right of reply under Art. 21 of the Press Act. 

1. During proceedings before the Industrial 

Tribunal instituted by Margaret Brincat, 

the defendant, Jason Attard, admitted 

to having hacked Miss Brincat’s gmail 

account, and proof of this was also 

submitted during proceedings, including 

documents and a pen-drive showing 

that Jason Attard also hacked into the 

personal bank account of Margaret 

Brincat. Not only is this illegal, but as 

recently decided by the Grand Chamber 

of the European Court of Human Rights 

in the case ‘Barbulespu v Romania’ 

(decided on the 5th September 

2017), the Court decided that this was 

an infringement of the employee’s 

fundamental human rights. 

2. During the Tribunal proceedings, Mr 

Attard gave a number of conflicting 

reasons why he dismissed Ms Brincat, 

and each of these reasons was dismissed 

by the Tribunal; in fact, the decision of 

the Industrial Tribunal decided that the 

Ms Brincat’s dismissal was “unfair and 

unjust” and awarded her over €10,000 

as compensatory damages. 

3. Messrs Brincat and Vella wish to declare 

that it is not true that they set up their 

Company ‘soon after’ the dispute, since 

their Company was established in 2014, 

two years after Ms Brincat’s dismissal! 

For the record, Messrs Brincat and Vella 

confirm the company was set up as a 

direct result of Network Publication’s 

insolvency and liquidation, and for no 

other reason whatsoever. 

4. There can be no question as to 

Mr Attard’s foregoing statements’ 

defamatory nature. Each such statement 

purports to describe facts that, if 

accepted by a reader as true, injure Ms 

Brincat and Mr Vella’s reputation so “as 

to lower them in the estimation of the 

community or to deter third persons 

from associating or dealing with them.” 

This Right of Reply is being made and 

published without prejudice and thus Messrs 

Brincat and Vella reserve their rights according 

to Law to proceed with libel proceedings. 

Dr Joe Zammit Maempel 

Obo Messrs Margaret Brincat & Martin Vella 

(MBR Publications Ltd) MBR 

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2017 

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FRIDAY 10 NOVEMBER 2017 

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Ewropa Business Centre, Dun Karm Street, Birkirkara Bypass, Birkirkara BKR 9034 - Malta 

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

www.maltabusinessreview.net 9 

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LOCAL POLITICS 


A NEW WAY BRINGING CHANGE AND UNITY 

Adrian Delia is elected as new leader of 

the Nationalist Party 

that if Joseph Muscat has members on board 

which cannot or do not criticize, and are there 

only to warm benches, the PN cannot and 

does not accept this. He said the government 

must be truly constructive and positive about 

the participation of the Opposition. 

Joseph Muscat had promised that in this 

legislature it will increase public holidays. 

Adrian Delia said that this issue has an 

economic impact. Therefore, said the leader 

of the Nationalist Party, each review must 

be evaluated according to whether it is 

sustainable and the government has to say 

who, ultimately, will end up paying for such a 

measure. 

Social policy with a conscience 

The Head of the Nationalist Party said that 

today we have a duty more than ever to put 

the family again at the center of politics. He 

said, the Nationalist Party will protect not only 

the PN values but the values of the Maltese. 

Adrian Delia said that among the challenges 

confronting our country today is the growing 

problem of poverty and he explained 

that the Nationalist Party is committed to 

offering concrete solutions to overcome 

this challenge. The increase in crime is also 

plaguing the country, continued the Head 

of the Nationalist Purse, and this is why 

increasing number of people from foreign 

countries are amassed in ghettos, instead 

being integrated into society. 

BIB2017 

The new leader of the Nationalist Party Adrian Delia and the outgoing leader Simon Busuttil 

Adrian Delia was elected as the new head 

of the Nationalist Party after obtaining 

7,734 votes during the General Convention 

elections, which means 52.7% of the valid 

votes cast. The other candidate, Chris Said 

scored 6,932 votes, which means 47.3% of 

the valid votes. 

In this election, there were 15,501 tesserati 

(PN members) who had voting document 

disposal and thus could vote. Of these, 14,742 

tesserat went to vote, which means 95.1% of 

those eligible. 

Upon announcing the official results, Simon 

Busuttil, outgoing Leader of the Nationalist 

Party for the last four and a half years, 

congratulated Adrian Delia and wished him 

well on this outcome. In his first comments to 

the media, Adrian Delia said that by today, the 

PN will be speaking with one strong voice. 

“The change means that this should unite us 

and we shall use such policy to get people 

together to build an innovative and fully 

inclusive political program,” said the new 

head of the Nationalist Party Adrian Delia in 

an interview with journalist and presenter 

Peppi Azzopardi at the opening of the 2017 

Independence festivities at Floriana. 

Adrian Delia said that the PN is not like 

the Labor Party which decides everything, 

including management and inclusion of party 

apparatchiks in sensitive positions, but there 

are democratic processes leading to new 

decisions and ideas. 

“In the coming days”, said Adrian Delia, “we 

will say exactly how we intend to plan and 

also gain seat in Parliament, and how we can 

lead the opposition”. He added that the Labor 

Party will not dictate the Opposition's agenda 

and while the Government should draw up 

the program to be discussed in Parliament, 

the PN plan will only be decided by the PN. 

Opposition to protect the integrity 

Adrian Delia said that the PN will continue to 

build on a policy based on integrity, inclusion 

and diversity. He added that from day one, 

the Nationalist Party will continue to defend 

Malta against corruption in the Maltese 

Courts. Furthermore, to bring back normality 

in our country, Adrian Delia said that the PN 

will also look forward to build a strong political 

vision for the coming years. 

The Head of the Nationalist Party said that 

the fight for justice not only will not stop, 

but will continue and brought to bear. He 

said that today, we have a situation where 

institutions are abdicating the responsibility 

conferred upon them by the Constitution. 

The Government of Muscat is using the seat 

of power as an opportunity for control and 

profit, instead to serve and promotes the 

interests of the Maltese people. 

Asked about the opposition involvement in 

government Committees, Adrian Delia said 

Adrian Delia 

Adrian Delia said he believes in the value 

of life from conception to its natural end. 

On prostitution he said he disagrees with 

amendments to the law, which allowed the 

commercialization of prostitution. The new 

Leader of the Nationalist Party said that the 

government will not go on a roll from the 

Opposition. The Nationalist Party will hold 

firm against those laws that harm society. 

Asked for his position on the legalization of 

recreational marijuana, Adrian Delia said that, 

contrary to what Chris Fearne stated, taking 

drugs is not just a personal choice, since it has 

various consequences on everyone related 

with users. He said that if the war against 

drugs is not working, we do not give up and 

simply legalise, but we seek more corrective 

and effective methods. MBR 

Credit: PN Media/Communications Centre 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT 

Margaret Brincat +356 21497814 

margaret@mbrpublications.net 

MALTA’S BEST IN BUSINESS AWARDS 2017 

Celebrating the Spirit of Best Businesses 

FRIDAY 17TH NOVEMBER, 2017 

Radisson Blu Resort & SPA, Malta Golden Sands 


10 www.maltabusinessreview.net 11


IN DEPTH INTERVIEW SERIES 



EMPOWERING ORGANISATIONS 

to improve their Customer Engagement 

Philip Micallef, member of the company board of directors, iMovo Ltd., 

the acknowledged leader in Customer Experience Management (CEM) and 

Business Intelligence (BI), tells us that one thing he learnt in his thirty years 

of working in so many different countries is that culture is important. As 

we discuss his recent appointment, Philip emphasizes the importance of 

respecting the culture of the customer instead of managing with a colonial 

mentality, which is doomed to fail in today’s age. Philip reveals that iMovo, 

have employees who hail from different countries like Malta, Italy, Greece 

and others and this helps make iMovo very sensitive to other cultures. 

MBR: Why did you join the iMovo board? 

PM: Pierre Mallia, the Managing Director of 

iMovo and myself go back many years, when 

we were both working for the Strategy and 

Planning Group at Management Systems 

Unit, introducing Information Systems and 

attempting to re-engineer the way the public 

sector worked. Since then we both went our 

separate ways but I followed Pierre and kept 

in touch even though I had gone abroad for 

a number of years. When Pierre asked me 

earlier this year if I would be interested in 

joining the iMovo Board as a non-executive 

director I immediately accepted. I joined 

principally for two reasons: Firstly, the 

nature of work of iMovo which specialises in 

Business Intelligence solutions and Customer 

Relationship Management, two areas which 

I realised are key to any organisation in my 

career with France Telecom, Melita, MCA, 

By Martin Vella 

Regulatory Authority of Bermuda, and Air 

Malta. Secondly, I wanted to practice what I 

always preached that board members should 

provide the strategic vision to an organisation, 

support management and staff and not 

meddle in operational matters. 

MBR: You had an impression of iMovo when 

you joined. Was it accurate? 

PM: I always saw that iMovo was working 

in the areas of Business Intelligence and 

Customer Relationship Management, two 

areas so important and key to the success of 

any organisation. iMovo are associated with, 

among others, two leading solution providers 

in these areas: Zendesk and Salesforce and 

this reinforced my impression of a forward 

looking company providing holistic solutions 

for the businesses of tomorrow. I came across 

Zendesk when I was Regulator in Bermuda of 

Telecommunications and had contacts with 

the US Federal Communications Commission 

(FCC) in Washington which uses Zendesk 

to deal with 2000 complaints per day and 

has transformed the FCC into an efficient 

customer facing regulator at an 85 per cent 

savings. 

MBR: How would you define the iMovo 

brand? 

PM: The iMovo brand is a forward looking, 

dynamic one providing tomorrow's solutions 

for today's organisations and having the 

customer as the raison d'etre for all its work. 

iMovo builds software for better customer 

relationships and empowers organisations 

to improve their customer engagement and 

better understand their customers. The brand 

is that of a solution provider simplifying the 

tough work of customer service. 

MBR: Would you discuss the heritage of the 

property and the vision around its recent 

transformation? 

PM: iMovo started off with a couple of success 

stories in the local market such as providing 

eCabs with customer service software that 

is easy to use and gave the company the 

flexibility to move quickly, focus on innovation 

and scale with their growth. With success 

comes growth which needs to be properly 

managed and nurtured. iMovo then ventured 

abroad successfully in UK and Greece and 

is in the phase of further growth especially 

internationally. Any company is as good as its 

employees and Pierre has managed to build 

a team of strong, professional individuals all 

eager to learn and keep improving the way 

things are done and very customer focused. 

The vision is to keep growing especially 

internationally, providing excellent solutions 

to our customers and investing heavily in our 

staff and having staff who feel proud to be 

working for iMovo. 

MBR: How do you intend to contribute to 

this trajectory/vision? 

PM: I sincerely hope to put my experience 

gained over the years both in Malta and 

abroad to good use in the iMovo Board. I 

have a strong background in customer service 

internationally having been responsible for 

France Telecom/Equant Business Services in 

consolidating 200 help desks round the globe 

into five global centres: London, Atlanta, Rio 

de Janeiro, Cairo and Sydney. There I learnt 

the complexities of providing excellent 

customer service. I have worked in Italy, 

Switzerland, Spain and France and there can 

provide some input on the local culture, way 

of doing business and call on my contacts in 

these countries in the various sectors I was 

involved with. Some of these contacts have 

their own technology companies and areas 

of collaboration could be explored in due 

course. Another area I can contribute is in 

mentoring. I am in fact doing some mentoring 

for an American Company which specialises 

in mentoring and am mentoring a US C+ 

executive working in Europe. This is an area 

I enjoy and gives me great satisfaction seeing 

young professionals take on important roles. 

By nature, I am always challenging the status 

quo and seeing how things can be improved 

and done in a better way and I shall certainly 

do this at board level. 

MBR: What is your strategy for growth? 

PM: iMovo has a solid base on which it has 

to continue exploiting its accomplishments 

and expand its client base both locally and 

especially internationally. One of the board's 

next main tasks is to define an international 

strategy. Growth has to be properly managed 

both from an organizational perspective 

and from a human resources one. As they 

say "Growth can make or break you", and 

at iMovo we are determined to manage our 

growth to expand the company and ensure 

that it keeps increasing its profitability year 

after year. Staff are vital for the success of any 

organisation and this growth must be coupled 

with continual training and development of 

our staff both in hard and soft skills. 

Ensuring that your present customer 

requirements are satisfied is another 

important facet of growth as a satisfied 

customer could lead to providing solutions 

to its suppliers or distributors or its overseas 

offices etc. 

MBR: What in your view are the key 

ingredients of success for a new economy 

business? 

PM: The key ingredients of success for a new 

economy business in my humble opinion are: 

• Organisational leadership and culture. 

Organisations must reconfigure their 

structure to better deal with the much 

demanding electronic environment and 

business models. Certain structures that 

worked yesterday will not work in the fast 

changing digital economy where agility is 

a prerequisite for success. Organisations 

that are more able to change course 

of action in the shortest possible time 

will outperform those that spend most 

of their times in boardrooms seeking 

approvals. 

" 

Growth has to be 

properly managed both 

from an organizational 

perspective and from a 

human resources one 

• Commitment. Commitment must 

always start at board level and permeate 

to all other levels of the organisation. 

The digital economy requires processes 

to be transformed to meet the needs 

of the digital environment. Without the 

proper commitment, organisations run 

the risk of simply translating old business 

models into the digital era. This is surely 

a recipe for disaster. 

• Customer expectations and 

experience. Today's customers are 

more empowered, demanding and 

knowledgeable and can easily change 

suppliers, complain and can make 

any discontent go viral with the flash 

of a second. Meeting expectations of 

these digitally empowered customers 

is the biggest challenge for modern day 

marketers. 

• Product Enhancements. The digital 

world has brought opportunities 

to extend and restructure industry 

boundaries creating new industries 

in the process. Related products 

and services can be integrated into 

sophisticated industry solutions. The 

digital nature of the digital economy has 

also disrupted conventional distribution 

channels and intermediaries. 

• Collaborative Innovations. Doing 

everything alone has become a burden 

and collaborative innovations become 

key to success. Innovation enables 

organisations to better respond to the 

highly competitive global business 

environment. Collaboration is crucial 

for this innovation to take place and 

this could be within the organisation, 

outside with other partners, customers, 

competitors, research institutions and 

communities. 

MBR: You place a major emphasis on service 

standards. Would you discuss iMovo’s 

focus on employee training and providing 

personalized service? 

PM: As mentioned previously no company 

can be successful without the proper staff 

who are professional, motivated and have 

the right attitude. iMovo works at the leading 

edge of technology and it is vital that its 

staff keep abreast with developments in 

technology. iMovo invests in training of staff 

and this training is not only on technology or 

what we call the hard skills but also in soft skill 

training such as customer service, team work, 

right attitude, and other behavioral aspects. 

Each customer at iMovo is a special customer 

with his/her own needs and requirements 

and iMovo provides this personalised service 

during the sales phase, during the project 

and implementation phase and then in the 

maintenance phase. 

MBR: As you look to the future, are there 

key markets that you are focused on to grow 

the iMovo brand? 

PM: We are in the process of finalising an 

international strategy and Italy could be one of 

our next target markets. As regards sectors we 

are particularly strong in transport, iGaming, 

local Government and retail in UK so we need 

to focus on these sectors in new territories. 

Having said that we are always on the lookout 

for any sector which has a strong customer 

interaction as our "forte" is to provide a cloud 

easy to-use platform that simplifies the tough 

demanding work of customer service. MBR 


EDITOR’S 

Note 

" 

Prior to his appointment at 

iMovo, Mr. Micallef was 

most recently the Chief 

Executive Officer of Air 

Malta. He has also held the 

position of CEO of other 

major organisations such 

as Malta Enterprise and 

Melita Plc. He previously 

was the Chairman of the Malta Communications 

Authority and Chief Executive Officer of the 

Regulatory Authority in Bermuda. He has also 

held strategic roles with organisations like 

Management Systems Unit, Olivetti in Italy, 

Switzerland and Spain as well as France Telecom 

Equant. 

12 13 



MOBILE INTERNET 


VODAFONE 

brings 

4G+ 

to Malta 

Vodafone Malta is the first operator to bring 

superfast 4G+ mobile internet to Malta. 

The new technology allows for the 

downloading of data at unprecedented 

speeds, 60 per cent faster than 4G, at up to 

210 Mbps. 

After having first successfully rolled out the 

innovative 4G+ network in Gozo in June, 

Vodafone has now fulfilled its pledge to bring 

the technology to Malta. 

4G+ was activated on the 15th of September 

in the north of the island, with the new 

network being rolled out to other localities 

over the subsequent weeks. 

“Social networking, accessing apps, cloud 

storage, loading photos and video streaming 

are all activities that we’ve grown accustomed 

to doing on the move,” Head of Technology 

Sheila Kavanagh said. 

“The demand for data has exploded due 

to content-rich platforms such as Facebook 

and Snapchat, which revolve around the use 

of high definition video clips. The new 4G+ 

technology will offer a faster, smoother and 

higher quality viewing experience devoid 

of buffering, connecting our customers 

instantly.” 

Head of Enterprise Kenneth Spiteri said that 

4G+ will open up a new world of mobilisation 

for business clients. 

“4G+ will vastly improve video calls and cloudbased 

apps, whilst enabling our business 

clients to launch new services on the move for 

their own customer base in various industries 

such as media, transport, distribution, 

medical, safety, security and professional 

services, to name but a few. 

“Vodafone keeps leading innovation in 

mobile technology in Malta, with the new 

4G+ technology being at least 1.5 times faster 

than the technology operated by any of its 

competitors.” 

4G+ speeds will automatically be available to 

customers with compatible phones. MBR 

For more information, visit www.vodafone.com.mt/ 

network 

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AGRI-DRONES 

ERC STORY 


Drones help Maltese farmers 

identify water shortages By Terence Mirabelli 

Global warming is a reality, and it is not just 

higher temperatures but also less rain that is 

affecting local farmers, olive and vine growers. 

Only recently, Malta’s main wine growers 

were warning of the dire circumstances they 

face because of the lack of rain and the longer 

heatwaves. 

Rain in the Maltese islands falls mainly during 

winter and with a few harsh storms in late 

summer, and is inconsistent. 

The overall situation is not expected to 

improve; farmers and agriculturalists must 

adapt and make use of the latest technology 

available to ensure that their crops survive, 

grow and provide a healthy return on 

investment. AgriDrone, a division of IPL, has 

the technology to assist local farmers monitor 

the wellbeing of their crops more precisely. 

Using aerial photography, the company can 

identify areas of cultivated fields that require 

watering, thus enabling growers to speedily 

take action. AgriDrone has the capability of 

providing accurate information and early 

insights into sowing quality and plant growth 

for seasonal crops, as well as the ability to 

accurately manage and keep track of plant 

count in perennial plantations. 

Using drone photography and analysis, 

AgriDrone can count plants in the scanned 

area, generate a report where the number 

of counted plants is compared to the 

recommended set and other details where 

applicable. 

Besides counting, AgriDrone provides reports 

on plant health such as weed and pest 

detection, plant disease analysis and water 

stress. Data provided is precise and easy 

to use, helping farmers make quick and inseason 

course corrections to maximise crop 

efficiency. 

AgriDrone can supply seven types of analyses 

which can be used to gain accurate and 

reliable information about plant counting or 

plant health monitoring: plant population, 

stand count, weed analysis, pest analysis, 

water stress analysis, plant disease analysis 

and plant stress analysis. 

“All that is required is to fly over a designated 

area at regular intervals and photograph 

the fields”, explains IPL Managing Director 

Terence Mirabelli. 

“The aerial photographs are then analysed – 

it normally takes up to 48 hours for this. The 

photographs and analysis are then sent to 

the farmer or grower for him to action”, add 

Mirabelli. “It’s simple and effective”. 

“In today’s climate, all produce growers need 

to know their fields are well irrigated. We can 

provide that knowledge speedily and help 

avoid loss of revenue”. MBR 

For more information and pricing of 

AgriDrone, and how it can work for you, call 

Terence Mirabelli on 99995201 or email 

tmirabelli@me.com. 

Credit: Island Publications Ltd 

16 17 



INDUSTRY: CORPORATE INTERVIEW OF THE MONTH 

INDUSTRY: CORPORATE INTERVIEW OF THE MONTH 


Honesty, Respect and Loyalty 


MBR interviews George Mifsud, Managing Director of Deco Manufacturing Limited. The Company shingle 

reads, “Choose your style with elegance, design your ideas with inspiration and achieve them with Deco”. 

George agreed to speak with us about his business, which has enjoyed a reputation for their leading custom 

designed hand-crafted picture frames. In this interview he speaks about the significance of working, 

travelling, planning new products and marketing strategies, and how he works with fine artists to reprint, 

enhance and present their work in the best possible way. 

If you are loyal towards your clients, the 

clients will be loyal to you. 

In a small market like Malta you can feel 

the results instantly because it is very easy 

to interact with the clients. We offer a 

special service to our clients and our clients 

appreciate our service. We sell ready made 

products but our best sellers are the items 

which are customised by our clients. The 

company motto is ‘Choose your style with 

elegance, design your ideas with inspiration 

and achieve them with Deco’. 

MBR: What is the main reasons clients 

chose Deco? 

GM: Deco is coming from Decoration and 

Deco is the only Art Company who offers 

to its client’s personalisation of the Art they 

purchase. Deco has a library of over 250,000 

images from all over the world, all licensed as 

we pay royalties for every print we print. We 

have a selection of 500 different mouldings 

for frames in wood, MDF and Polystyrene. 

We have seven different finishes of wall arts 

starting from the traditional frames to Art on 

Glass, Art on Wood with Hand embellishment, 

Art on Canvas, Block Frames, Art on Marble 

and Al Frescos. 

So clients have a large variety of arts in 

different presentations to choose from. 

MBR: What lead you to become involved in 

home décor? 

GM: I am a Maltese, living in our lovely island 

where the Maltese love their home. It’s their 

special place and they want only the best. 

On the other hand, one has to keep in mind 

that not everyone has the same budget for 

the décor of his home. The idea of entering 

into the framing and art business came as 

in this sector one can offer a variety of wall 

decorations with a variety of prices which 

everybody afford. It is a concept that evolves 

around the client. We found this niche’ market 

where the company can offer low price and 

high price which falls under the same concept 

which is that we manufacture whatever the 

client want. 

MBR: How does the local market differ from 

the International Market? 

GM: There is a lot of difference between the 

local market and the International market. 

They are absolutely opposite. In Malta the 

trend nowadays is having large frames, large 

canvas and large mirrors on a wall as a feature 

whilst in the International market the sizes 

are all small. Even the designs are totally 

different. Our company does exports to some 

countries such as Germany, Switzerland and 

U.K. We only have a small percentage of our 

turnover in Export but we are happy that our 

products are also in the International market. 

There is a lot of competition in our line of 

business especially from Eastern European 

countries and the Far East but our aim for 

George Mifsud, Managing Director of Deco Manufacturing 

MBR: Can you elaborate on your mission, 

vision and values? 

GM: I am proud to say that I was born in 

a very humble family, where morality and 

values were the order of the day. My parents 

were very arduous working people, especially 

my mother who was very strict. Coming from 

such background, I became a self-made man, 

with a strong character and also with a clear 

vision of where I want to be. I always planned 

the future and took my decisions in a level 

where I was sure that I can reach them. I 

strongly believe in the steps of life. One can 

jump to achieve his targets, but I believe that 

the safest way is to climb the steps one by 

one. 

MBR: What is it about your job that makes 

it so special? 

GM: I built my present company over a 

period of 30 years, starting in a very modest 

way. Today, when I think about those days, I 

cannot understand how we used to work. I 

believe a lot in research and development, 

and one of my jobs is going around in Trade 

shows to learn what’s in the market, and 

also learn more about modern equipment. 

One can jump to achieve his 

targets, but I believe that the 

safest way is to climb the steps 

one by one. 

R & D is the most important factor for the 

success of a company. One has to introduce 

always new products in the market in order 

to survive especially in our small market. The 

idea of travelling, planning new products and 

marketing strategies makes me excited and 

feel that I am not working, but enjoying myself 

during the working time. When someone 

asks me where do you work, I always say that 

I do not work because I do not feel that I am 

working. My job gives me a lot of satisfaction. 

MBR: What does it take to be successful on 

an island of our scale? 

GM: Honesty, respect and loyalty are the 

secret of success in such a small market. It is 

not easy to accomplish, but if you make them 

as your target you will definitely attain them. 

If you are honest in your work and product, 

clients will come back to you. 

If you respect your clients, clients will respect 

you. 

Framing Arts 

the export market is not the large distributors 

or department stores but small groups who 

cannot handle volume and we can offer small 

quantities at a good price and short time of 

delivery. 

MBR: Could your company name one project 

that was important for the company? 

GM: Our Company has completed two large 

notable projects, one in Kuwait and the other 

in Qatar. Our Company was commissioned 

the design and the setup of replica of Deco 

Manufacturing in these two countries. We 

successfully executed these two projects, 

where we planned the production, supplied 

the entire equipment and also taught all the 

workers how to produce the products on the 

same level and quality that Deco produces 

and manufactures. Both contracts were a 

dream come true for me, as I have been 

working very hard to secure these contracts 

for approximately two years, until they were 

finally commissioned to us. In Malta we also 

had some significant contracts especially in 

hotels, communal homes and hospitals. 

MBR: Are you happy with where your 

product is today and are there changes 

clients expect in the future? 

The pleasure of Art 

GM: I am very satisfied for the success of the 

company, for the success of the concept the 

company created and for the standard the 

company reached in its production. But one 

never can say that we reached our goals as in 

today’s world, where changes occur so fast, 

especially in technology, we have to be always 

on alert on what is new in the market, so that 

the company will remain on track all the time. 

Today clients are very demanding and they 

have a lot of knowledge about everything. So 

one has to be on his toes all the time ready to 

go with the new developments. 

MBR: What is the secret of success? 

GM: The secret of success as already 

mentioned above are the clients. The company 

without the clients cannot be successful and 

today it is so difficult to create clients in a 

competitive world, where the world becomes 

a small market with all the present technology 

and who knows what else the future will offer. 

When a company has a good client base the 

success is guaranteed. Clients have to believe 

in you and with honesty, integrity and respect 

clients will reciprocate, and reward you 

the business you need and henceforth the 

accomplishment. MBR 


18 19 






Express 

Trailers 

Builds First 

Of Its Kind 

Side-Loader 

In The World 

Express Trailers has just delivered its latest 

re-conditioned side-loader, an ADR-approved 

Hammar 195 HC which is radio-controlled 

and equipped with automatic steering, 

parking sensors, reverse sensors and many 

other features, making this model the first 

of its kind in the world. This side-loader has 

now been shipped to its client in the Canary 

Islands. 

This is the eleventh commissioned sideloader 

since Express Trailers’ appointment as 

HAMMAR's European base for the re-building 

and customization of HAMMAR side-loaders 

for the global market a year and a half ago. 

Express Trailers in fact has already delivered 

rebuilt and re-conditioned side-loaders to 

clients in the UK, Turkey, Spain, Portugal, the 

United States and the Canary Islands. 

Side-loaders, or side-lifters, enable transport 

companies to load and unload containers 

and out of gauge cargo onto flat-bed trailer 

trucks without the use of cranes but instead, 

with the use of a specially mounted hydraulicpowered 

mechanism installed on the trailer 

chassis. These hydraulic structures can also 

be telescopic; adjusting to varying sizes of 

containers and can handle weights of up to 33 

tons without any counter weight. 

“This new milestone is another feather in 

Express Trailers’ cap and confirms how the 

company is keeping to its commitment to 

deliver the highest level of service for its clients 

round the world,” said Franco Azzopardi, 

Chairman and CEO of Express Trailers. 

“We have invested a lot in this collaboration 

with HAMMAR to re-build and re-condition 

side-loaders on behalf of its clients, operations 

that effectively saw Express Trailers moving 

into the manufacturing business. The result of 

this investment is that we have already seen a 

successful year and a half and we are already 

envisaging more business in the coming 

months that will see us working on an even 

bigger order book,” added Franco Azzopardi. 

Work on this latest side-loader started 10 

weeks ago and saw the involvement of two 

welders and three mechanical assemblers 

working non-stop to finish this commission 

on time. After the dismantling of the old 

chassis, it was sent for sand-blasting. Back 

at Express Trailers’ garage, all technicians we 

went through the plans and drawings sent 

over by Hammar, started welding whilst the 

mechanics refurbished the brakes and all 

mechanical systems. All the metallic paintwork 

was also carried out at the paintshop followed 

by the assembly process. Upon completion, 

the side-loader was tested by an independent 

engineer. 

“Re-building and reconditioning of sideloaders 

is a service we are delivering in 

collaboration with HAMMAR, a world-known 

brand in the side-loader business. We have 

been offering this service for a year and a 

half now and prospects of increased business 

required us to invest in our workshops to 

be able to cater for the demand. The newly 

installed roof and mobile crane system not 

only helps us reach new efficiencies but 

provide a safer working environment for 

our employees,” said Noel Vella, Director 

at Express Trailers who oversees the 

management of the fleet and the side-loader 

business. 

“We currently have a team of very talented 

workers who are doing a fantastic job but 

as we expect business to grow, we know we 

will need to recruit more workers especially 

welders. We need people who are passionate, 

want to learn and are willing to be part of a 

successful team. From our end, we are ready 

to offer them all the required training.” 

“Availability of capable and talented workers 

in this field however, remains an issue and it is 

proving to be very difficult to find these types 

of workers. Unless we find more tradesmen, 

we will not be able to meet the growing 

demand,” concluded Noel Vella. MBR 

20 21 




EUROBRIDGE: 

The Award Winning Trailer Operator 

David Abela, Managing Director of Eurobridge, receiving the award 

The Eurobridge team 

Take a close look at our advert. It says ‘WE 

DELIVER’ but it doesn’t say just that. We took 

whole weeks to formulate those few words 

under that nice tagline because we wanted 

them to mirror exactly who we are. 

We deliver because we are a trustworthy 

partner for your business whatever your 

transportation needs. Take a look at the 

testimonials shown on our web-site. Those are 

real and they were written by a good number 

of our customers because they believe in 

what they were writing when claiming that 

we ‘help them meet all their needs, especially 

deadlines’ or when we ‘manage to solve all 

their problems immediately’. In this latter 

case, the customer might have exaggerated 

in claiming we solved all their problems as 

we are probably useless when it comes to pet 

grooming or plumbing but you get the idea. 

We deliver because we have the expertise. 

Our expertise is mainly groupage cargo to 

and from Europe and to copy another advert, 

we are probably the best Maltese trailer 

operator where it comes to this part of our 

job. We already have the best rates on the 

market and give daily accurate updates on all 

shipments. At the moment, we are investing 

into a new custom-made system that will give 

all our customers a great tool to manage their 

shipments on-line and make us even more 

efficient than ever before. When this system 

will go live, we might even have the guts to 

remove the ‘probably’ in the above claim. 

We deliver because we have experience. All 

of us have been groomed at a young age into 

this job and are still young enough to have 

the energy and learn new ways to give our 

customers the best possible service. We are 

all under 40 here but most of us have been 

working in shipping since our teens. We just 

love the job and wouldn’t trade it with any 

other job out there. Just try us and you will 

recognise the enthusiasm. 

We deliver because we are all the time 

investing in new trailers. We remember when 

just 7 years ago the company invested in its 

first trailer with great trepidation. In these 

7 years, we have grown together with our 

customers in such a way that we now own 

25 and are constantly looking to increase the 

number with all the new customers the sales 

department is bringing in! 

We deliver and this is proven by the 

accolades we are receiving. Besides the many 

testimonials by our customers, in less than a 

year we have won 2 prestigious awards. In 

November last year, we won ‘Outstanding 

Industry Contributor Award’ at the Malta’s 

BIB Awards whilst a couple of months ago, our 

Managing Director won ‘Best International 

Trade Entrepreneur’ of the year. We want 

to win even more that is why we continually 

strive to improve. 

In a nutshell, WE DELIVER because we are 

LOGISTICS PEOPLE TO COUNT ON. MBR 

22


COMMUNITIES 


Blockchains keep us together 

By Anthony Brown 

J.M. Vassallo Vibro Steel Ltd 

Mdina Road, Zebbug, ZBG 9019, Malta www.jmvibro.com sales@jmvibro.com 2146 7421 

How encrypted 

databases and 

cryptocurrencies 

could transform 

the way contracts 

are managed 

and payments 

are sent within 

the construction 

industry 

It’s not often that you get to tie the 

conservative world of construction 

together with the hi-octane lifestyle of 

Superstar DJs, but if the former were to 

look at the advantages of the latest secure 

communications techniques then it really 

could be rubbing shoulders with the later. 

It might take a leap of tremendous faith – 

not something the construction industry 

is traditionally blessed with – but with 

a little forethought and a willingness to 

plunge headlong into the choppy waters 

of cryptocurrencies, the industry could be 

looking at waving goodbye to the scourge 

of late payments, retentions and cashf-low 

crises and saying hello to smart contracts and 

instant payment. 

The route to this fiscally efficient Shangri- 

La is through Blockchain technology. 

Fundamentally, the blockchain is a database 

made from a series of secure, encrypted 

entries – or blocks - that can contain 

information. The information in these blocks 

is confirmed at the point of acceptance into 

the chain and is then secured, making it 

virtually impossible to alter any of the data 

that they contain without the acceptance 

or knowledge of other sections of the 

chain – perfect for international money 

transfers, shareholder information or indeed 

complicated and nuanced business contracts. 

With a little forethought and a willingness 

to plunge headlong into the choppy waters 

of cryptocurrencies, the industry could be 

looking at waving goodbye to the scourge of 

late payments. 

The music world has already cottoned on to 

the idea that the blockchain can help deliver 

payment fairly and instantly. American star 

DJ Deadly Buda is using the system to pay 

the artists that feature in his latest ‘Rock the 

Blockchain’ music mix. He has integrated 

smart contracts into the blockchain that 

supports the Musicoin cryptocurrency and by 

attaching them to this latest mix, those artists 

are paid their royalties with seconds of the 

mix being played. 

With a little forethought and a 

willingness to plunge headlong 

into the choppy waters of 

cryptocurrencies, the industry 

could be looking at waving 

goodbye to the scourge of late 

payments. 

Now the success of that system rather 

depends on everyone in the system being 

signed up to the Musicoin currency and 

happy to be paid in it, but swap Musicoin 

for a more widely accepted cryptocurrency 

such as Bitcoin, DJ Deadly Buda for a main 

contractor and the supplementary artists 

for sub-contractors and it is easy to see just 

how blockchain technology could benefit the 

construction industry. 

By placing all contractual requirements within 

smart contracts and the financial triggers 

within the blockchain then we could see subcontractors 

getting paid automatically and 

immediately – with no contractual fighting 

and an indisputable trail of proof showing 

clauses had been met. 

If blockchain has the potential to integrate 

with BIM software, then it could automatically 

generate contracts between supplier when 

amendments are made to construction 

model. 

It is the ability to create, validate, authenticate 

and audit contracts and agreements in realtime, 

across borders, without third-party 

intervention, almost standardisation by proxy, 

that makes this technology so appealing to 

the construction world. Blockchain also takes 

transparency to a new level with ability to 

track the supply chain in terms of material, 

contracts and payments, with ‘real-time’ 

information regarding when material have 

arrived on site. 

Operationally, if blockchain has the potential 

to integrate with BIM software, then it could 

automatically generate contracts between 

supplier when amendments/updates are 

made to construction model. 

Of course, there is the relative danger of the 

unknown. The concept of dealing within a 

currency that is supported only by the fact 

that there are so many others exposed to it 

even the prospect of its failure is viewed as 

abhorrent, can be difficult for some to accept. 

But for others the blockchain has the potential 

to offer a secure alternative to the traditional 

banking process, saving time and money 

while also offering the chance of real, tangible 

benefit to the supply chain with smarter, cost 

effective, fair and immediate contracts. MBR 

EDITOR’S 

Note 

Anthony Brown, Sales & 

Marketing Director, BW 

Green products for structural strengthening 

KERAKOLL. 

Products and services 

to build healthy homes 

that are kind to the 

environment. 

INNOVATIVE 

ECO-FRIENDLY 

RECYCLABLE 

HEALTHY 

24 25 



SERVICE OFFICE 

SERVICE OFFICE 


Are Serviced Offices the way forward? 

by Amanda Balzan 

The popularity of serviced offices has 

surged in the last few years and it is hardly 

surprisingly. Serviced offices, such as Business 

Office Services International (BOSi), offer a 

number of unique advantages to businesses 

of any size and working in any industry. These 

advantages are at the basis to why more and 

more companies are now reconsidering their 

approach and opting for leasing agreements 

with centres like BOSi. 

Renting traditional office premises is usually 

a huge expense and when doing so normally 

there is a term agreement of anything 

between three to five years, if not longer. 

This expense is additionally compounded 

through further capital layouts required for 

the necessary office furnishings, interior 

decoration, finishes, and telecommunication 

systems, amongst others. 

At face value serviced offices are often 

overlooked purely because their monthly 

rental fees are higher, however, what 

companies are now understanding is that a 

serviced office is essentially a pay-as-you-use 

space, which means that the monthly fees 

actually work out to be cheaper. 

In the past few years, various articles and writeups 

have been penned on the advantages of 

serviced offices, all coming-up with quite a 

similar list of advantages. We are very proud 

to say that BOSi Malta, offers prospective and 

current clients all the mentioned advantages, 

which include; 

1. Added Flexibility 

Serviced Offices offer businesses the 

opportunity for short-term lease agreements. 

An important consideration is that companies 

will have more freedom and flexibility, an 

essential cushion especially for start-ups, in 

case things do not work out as planned. This 

flexibility is also invaluable for companies that 

are currently within their growth phase as the 

company will have the possibility of leasing 

a larger office, rather than being stuck in a 

crowded office due to a long term agreement. 

BOSi offers its clients this flexibility of 

shorter term leases and our prestigious 

business centre in Mriehel, is made up of 

offices of varying sizes. This means that a 

growing company will have the opportunity 

to eventually lease a larger office to 

accommodate its team whilst keeping the 

same office address and not having the need 

for further capital outlay. 

2. Maintenance comes as Standard 

One of the main perks of using serviced office 

space is that you don’t have to worry about 

ongoing maintenance chores, which may vary 

from IT and Connectivity issues to Cleaning 

and Office building Maintenance. Such tasks 

take up a lot of time and resources and are 

generally considered to be an added stress for 

companies. 

Administrative and IT personnel at BOSi 

are highly trained individuals that pride 

themselves with offering high levels of client 

service, allowing the clients to focus on their 

core business whilst being assured that 

administration and maintenance are being 

taken care off. Services offered include an 

initial IT survey, free secure private network 

set-up on moving in and daily cleaning of the 

premises. 

3. Client Service Team Included 

A serviced office has a body of staff employed 

to provide clients with the basic office 

services to keep the workspace running, 

such as secretarial support and a reception 

team. BOSi ensures that all the personnel in 

the client service team are highly trained to 

ensure high standards of client service on 

a daily basis. Not only do companies gain 

significant savings from not having the need 

to hire such staff, but they also gain through a 

corporate concierge service rather than just a 

work place provider. 

4. No Downtime when moving in 

When moving to new premises downtime 

can significantly hinder the work flow for a 

business. BOSi serviced offices in Malta, are 

already set up and ready-to-use. Everything 

from communication systems to office 

equipment will be operational from the 

second you step in the door, meaning you 

won’t suffer any downtime waiting for phone 

and internet companies to install new lines 

or set up new gear. In today’s fast-paced 

and competitive world this ensures business 

continuity despite an office move. 

5. Networking Opportunities 

Serviced offices give companies the chance to 

network and cross sell with a variety of other 

businesses residing within the same building. 

Gone are the days when only start-ups or 

small businesses reside within a serviced 

office space. Today one is just as likely to find 

divisions of national and global multinational 

companies in the office next door. This offers 

endless possibilities of networking without 

having the need to leave the building. 

We are very proud to host clients who work 

within a variety of diverse industries some of 

which also forming part of the Fortune 100 

companies. The networking opportunities 

within our offices in Malta are very concrete 

and are facilitated further through the 

availability of high-quality finished common 

areas ranging from an outdoor terrace with 

lovely countryside views to fully equipped 

kitchen areas. 

The above mentioned advantages are 

complemented by further benefits that our 

clients can enjoy. These include the availability 

of professional boardrooms fully equipped 

with conference facilities, mail handling 

and availability of a courier together with a 

private car park. At BOSi, besides temporary 

or permanent, private or shared office space, 

the current offering also extends to providing 

Disaster Recovery Sites (DRS), a requirement 

for regulated entities, not limited to just the 

financial services and gaming operations. 

Every Entrepreneur or Manager reading this 

article will immediately comprehend why the 

popularity of serviced offices has surged in 

the last few years. This is especially the case 

if these same people are currently facing 

cost- cutting challenges and are trying to trim 

expenses to increase profitability. We are 

very confident that the mentioned benefits 

and advantages offered by Business Office 

Services International in Malta will contribute 

and allow the space for our clients to reach 

and fulfil their potential. 

Should you be interested to know more, 

please contact Amanda Balzan for further 

information on +356 99004016. Our offices 

are based within Vision Exchange Building, 

Territorials street, Mriehel. MBR 

EDITOR’S 

Note 

Author: Amanda Balzan, Office Manager at 

Business Office Services International, Malta 

26 27 



AUTO REVIEW 

The new Renault Zoe – 

enjoyable and hassle-free 


This supermini-sized electric car is an EV that 

has been designed as one from the ground 

up, with Renault’s glamourising the design, 

and manufacturing a fantastically affordable 

EV. Normally electric cars tend to be on the 

high side, this time Renault have made the 

price as the key USP. 

If there is to be a global transition from 

combustion-engine to electrically powered 

cars, it has not thus far proved quick, smooth 

or particularly profitable for the car makers 

leading the field. However, with the Renault 

Zoe, this difficulty has been avoided. The 

Renault Zoe has been conceived as an 

electric vehicle from the outset. After driving 

Renault’s titchy eco-warrior for a few hours 

around the suburbs of Mosta, Mdina and 

Rabat, it’s much easier to believe that it makes 

perfect sense even for business organisations 

requiring an economically reliable company 

vehicle. Maybe enough for a working week if 

the owner cannot be bothered plugging the 

Type 2 charge cable into the socket behind 

the Zoe’s frontal Renault badge. The Zoe is a 

remarkably pleasant car to drive. As with any 

EV there is that initial moment of eeriness 

when you turn the key, or press the start 

button. It comes equipped with GPS satellite 

navigation system and there is no noise and 

no vibration. Initial acceleration is as strong 

as could be needed for a city commuter and 

Renault reckons the Zoe will hit 50km/h from 

standstill in 4.1 seconds, although it takes 

longer to wind-up to the next bit and zero to 

100km/h is a 13.2 second wait. 

What is far more impressive is the almost 

total silence in which this all happens and 

the smooth building of speed without 

any mechanical vibration at all. To protect 

pedestrians from having a Zoe creep and 

skittle them, Renault have added what it calls 

a “ZE Voice”, in fact a roiling, humming note 

similar to Luke Skywalker’s waving lightsabre. 

The electric motor turns into a generator to 

charge the batteries when the driver backs 

off the accelerator pedal or brakes, but there 

is very little of the disconcerting retardation 

caused by heavy power regeneration some 

EVs can exhibit. The rear hatch reveals quite 

an amount of luggage space and overall a 

smooth ride is guaranteed. 

My conclusion: no other electric car drives as 

enjoyable and hassle free as the Zoe. MBR 

Renault Zoe comes highly equipped and includes amongst other things; ABS, climate 

control, front and rear electric windows, automatic lights and wipers, 16”alloy wheels, touch 

screen with navigation system and R-Link, ISO FIX seats and day time running lights. The 

Zoe is now covered by 5 years warranty or 100,000km whichever comes first and includes 

a wall box for easy charging at home. As I write this, there have been further changes to the 

government subsidies on electric vehicles and plug in hybrid. So, in addition to the existing € 

5,000 subsidy and € 3,000 if you choose to scrap a car then you will benefit from removal of 

registration tax and free road licence for 5 years. The purchase price now hovers in between 

€20,000* with all subsidies deducted to €23,000* (without scrappage scheme). The other 

advantages of owning a Zoe includes low cost of ownership and reduction of your carbon 

footprint which is becoming a major consideration for everyone. 

*Prices are approximate calculations 

Excavation 

Demolition 

Rock cutting 

Trenching works 

Road works 

Drainage connections 

Plant hire including large 

and small machinery. 

Property for sale. 

Property for rent including 

commercial, residential 

and warehousing. 

V & C Group Ltd - Whyte Harte, Triq il-Kostinjus, Naxxar NXR 6352 

Tel: +356 21 420 086, +356 79 424 661, +356 79 494 661 

info@vccontractors.com www.vccontractors.com 

Road paving 

Landscaping works 

Concrete suppliers 

Asphalt suppliers 

Instant road repair 

suppliers 

28





EVALUATING COSTS, RISKS AND STRATEGIES 

by Martin Vella 

In our In-depth series interviews, MBR talks with 

Jevon Gatt, Founder, Owner and Managing Director of 

AGF Turnkey Contractors Ltd. 

MBR: What has been the secret to the 

success of AGF Turnkey Contractors? 

JG: More than a decade ago I realised that 

our clients needed not only a company to 

design their project, but also one that could 

be able to complete all turnkey construction 

projects. So I decided to broaden our range of 

activity and started to offer more services like 

procurement, construction, commissioning, 

finishing works, operation and maintenance. 

I decided to meet that growing need among 

our clients because I had something to bring 

to the table for building projects with cuttingedge 

technology. And it was a wise decision, 

because today the market increasingly looks 

to the project finance model, which generally 

requires turnkey contracts. 

During the past ten years of conducting 

business within the construction sector, 

there has been growth within the company, 

both financially and both in the PR sector. 

Personally, I have learnt a lot in these last 

years. All that being said, AGF’s secret is a 

very simple one, Client satisfaction at all cost. 

Besides wanting to grow bigger and stronger, 

my plan was to retain our original philosophy 

in maintaining our clients at the centre of 

whatever we do. AGF has come a long way, 

and we attribute our success and also growth 

to this principle. This is what kept us striving 

for; quality satisfaction. 

MBR: What is the Company’s main 

specialisation and what are the products 

and services provided? 

JG: We offer full tailor-made proposals and 

packages for individuals and companies, 

residential or commercial businesses, who 

want to build, renovate, upgrade, finish and 

furnish to a specific design. The company’s 

main aim is to provide a professional job, 

carried out to the highest standards possible, 

on budget and on time, every time. All 

necessary preparations, permits, schedule of 

works, timing, plans, materials involved would 

be handled by our team. Our specialization 

is surely in the high standard of project 

management we offer and are capable of 

delivering. 

Today, in large projects, we are thought of 

purely as a finishing construction company 

because our clients value our expertise in 

engineering and technology. Therefore, we 

are also recognised as construction engineers. 

MBR: What are the biggest challenges facing 

the infrastructure and construction industry 

today? 

JG: Technology and demand have increased 

over the years. The biggest challenge 

sometimes is lack of knowhow of new staff 

and highly trained personnel and education is 

limited sometimes. 

The construction industry is always moving 

at a fast pace when it comes to infrastructure 

needs and the future of building methods will 

surely change in time for the better. We were 

faced with risks and challenges. We decided 

to restructure and develop all the capabilities 

we needed in order to offer a complete 

range of services. In addition, we overcame 

the challenge of ensuring peace of mind 

and inspiring trust among both our clients 

and partners. There are times when we are 

responsible for 100% of the turnkey project 

as well as cases in which we collaborate 

with other construction companies in a 

consortium. 

But we also took on risks with these contracts: 

in addition to delivering the agreed-upon 

project, we also have to do so on time and 

within budget. So, right from the beginning 

we had to approach turnkey projects as 

prudently as we could. 

Our specialization is surely in 

the high standard of project 

management we offer and are 

capable of delivering. 

MBR: How hard is it when you have grown 

so much to keep that family feel and 

closeness? 

JG: It is always a matter of how close a 

relationship you manage to keep with your 

clients, especially key accounts. When it 

becomes a robotic company, then people 

might lose their trust. I try hard to keep myself 

busy by going onsite and meeting clients on 

a daily bases, meeting my workers in the 

morning before heading to work and keeping 

a close relationship with them. And it’s always 

important to be present. Ultimately, my face 

is my company. 

MBR: What can you tell us about the 

Company’s growth and how are the 

Company operations run? 

JG: The Company has grown a lot in the last 

four years of operations. Operations are run on 

a daily basis. My foremen in-charge of various 

sites, managers that keep control of what’s 

going on, construction managers, people 

specialised in procurement, subcontracts, 

health and safety and the environment; these 

are all important elements contributing to 

our growth factor. The company’s growth is 

also attributed to our flexibility. Since we are 

flexible and have the necessary resources, we 

can decide what’s in our best interest at any 

point throughout the process, and that’s the 

important thing. 

We design, engineer and build the civil 

works such as construction, as well as the 

installations to create the internal climate as 

required by the client. With people whose 

interests coincide with mine. What AGF 

does well is to streamline ideas into practical, 

realistic and achievable plans with a deadline. 

And this strength in operations gives us the 

growth we need. 

MBR: What kind of clients do you usually 

cater for? 

JG: We cater for all kind of clients. No job 

is too small for us. We are here to cater for 

anyone wishing to invest, or simply renovate 

a home. 

MBR: What makes AGF Turnkey Contractors 

stand out? 

JG: Our image, our closeness, our clients’ 

relationship, and the quality of the work 

we do. With our knowledge of the different 

processes, and our out-of-the-box overview, 

we have the ambition to stand out from the 

rest. 

MBR: Is there such a thing as long-term 

planning in this business? 

JG: Evaluating costs, risks and strategies. This 

is my long-term planning mantra, apart from 

being close to my employees and our clients. 

Various approaches exist when embarking 

on turnkey process and for good reasons, 

the choice of the contracting approach 

could affect the outcome of the project. 

The strategy must be selected with careful 

consideration of not only the potential upside 

of the approach, but also an appreciation of 

the demands each strategy places on the 

owner’s organisation. Any of these strategies 

can result in undesirable consequences if it is 

selected without the necessary resources in 

place. 

MBR: What do you consider your most 

rewarding project with the company and do 

you take on big projects (pls name a few)? 

JG: There were many rewarding projects 

in the past. Surely ST Microelectronics is 

the most we enjoyed doing. To name a few 

that come to mind are Corinthia Spa Resort, 

intercontinental Casino, other private offices, 

and commercial premises, houses and Villas 

MBR: AGF has achieved great success and is 

consistently an industry leader. Do you take 

moments to reflect and celebrate the wins 

or are you always looking at what’s next? 

JG: Over the years, AGF has taken on various 

projects that have enabled the company to be 

able to feel confident in its experience, and to 

be able to guarantee client satisfaction at all 

times. MBR 


30 

www.maltabusinessreview.net 

31


CHAUFFER DRIVEN SERVICE 

Elegance Chauffeur Drive Ltd 

Elegance Chauffeur Drive Ltd (ECDL) was 

founded in middle of 2017, taking on Tony 

Cutajar as its general manager and started 

operations recently. Tony had worked 

previously with On-Time-Cabs, and having 

partnered with Dmitry Golomovzy, the two 

had founded ECDL, a chauffeur service 

for high-end executive, corporate and 

government based clients in Malta. 

ECDL is striving to break into the Maltese 

market with new practices and ensuring 

its staff dedicate their time to care about 

the clients and ensure the best of service. 

Tony and Dmitry have a lot of combined 

experience between the two of them, in the 

transport service, financial and management 

sectors respectively – to know what their 

clients needs and expectations will be. The 

services range from basic trips to weddings 

to large motorcades with their new Mercedes 

fleet consisting of top-end executive sedans 

and vans. 

Establishing a new firm in a competitive 

Maltese market is not easy, but Dmitry believes 

that they can edge their way in through 

upholding its practices and guaranteeing that 

they stick to their core principles. 

Dmitry was quoted saying: “We believe it is 

important to remember that the people that 

know Malta best are the locals, and they can 

give our clients the best service here. That is 

why we make the effort and commit ourselves 

to hire local professional drivers.” 

This year, ECDL hopes to expand its fleet of 

10 Mercedes Executive cars to provide that 

they can meet the anticipated and growing 

demand for the high quality service in Malta. 

For more information visit: https://www. 

elegancedrivemalta.com/ MBR 

32


FOCUS: GAMING REGULATION 

FOCUS: GAMING REGULATION 


Malta’s cutting edge approach to regulation 

by James Scicluna 

James Scicluna, Partner and Co-Founder at WH Partners, has recently 

written an article entitled ‘Skills games – Malta’s cutting edge approach 

to regulation’ for EGR Intel. The article assesses Malta’s decisionmaking 

and regulatory legislature used to define which games are 

based on skills and which are based on chance alone. 

The matter of how, and indeed whether, to 

regulate games of skill has been pondered and 

discussed over the years at national level in 

several jurisdictions, and in international fora 

such as meetings of the International Masters 

of Gaming Law (IMGL) and the International 

Association of Gaming Attorneys (IAGA). 

It always seemed to me that contributions to 

these discussions by European stakeholders 

tended to follow the approach of the 

UK, France and several other European 

jurisdictions which consider a game to be 

one of chance if the outcome involves any 

element of chance at all, whilst contributions 

by American stakeholders, most notably 

from the U.S., tended to take a more open 

approach and make allowance for the 

possibility that a game the outcome of which 

was preponderantly skill based should not 

be considered to be a game of chance. The 

laws of several U.S. states do allow a strong 

argument to be made that a game the 

outcome of which is prevalently dependent 

on skill should be classified as a skill game. It 

followed from this that recently several U.S. 

states have regulated fantasy sports, including 

daily fantasy sports, on the basis that it is 

really and truly a game in which skill makes 

the difference. 

The narrative of the discussions which I 

followed over the past years tended to revolve 

around whether or not the presence of any 

element of chance would implicitly mean it 

was gambling and whether it would not then 

automatically follow that the game could 

attract or encourage compulsive behaviour, 

what the risk of money laundering could 

be and that therefore the game should be 

strictly controlled. It remained more or less 

undisputed that games of skill – let’s call them 

games of pure skill – such as quizzes, chess 

and a few others would not be considered 

to be gambling and would therefore remain 

unregulated even in a scenario where a 

player staked money on, for example, him 

beating a machine at a game of chess. On 

the other hand, those who considered 

that a preponderance of skill implied that 

a game was not gambling often seemed to 

suggest that no regulation of such games was 

necessary or desirable. 

On the other hand, those 

who considered that a 

preponderance of skill implied 

that a game was not gambling 

often seemed to suggest that no 

regulation of such games was 

necessary or desirable 

The discussion rarely evolved to consider 

whether offering skill games for money 

actually in and of itself deserved to be 

regulated, licensed or somehow overseen 

not so much because of issues of potentially 

compulsive behaviour but because of 

consumer protection from a payments, player 

account, and absence of bias point of view. 

This is all by way of background, but the 

context is important when considering how 

Malta now approaches games of skill. 

Malta is course a full member of the European 

Union. It has been since 2004. It has also 

become the beating heart of the European 

remote gaming industry, not only gambling, 

and increasingly of games which are quite far 

removed from those traditionally associated 

with a gambling environment. Irrespective 

of what anyone might say, the Maltese 

regulator of all-things-gaming, the Malta 

Gaming Authority (“MGA”) is probably the 

regulatory authority which has globally seen 

and continues to see the greatest diversity 

of gaming and gambling products and the 

newest and most cutting edge games, before 

they are offered in any other market. It is 

also an authority set up by law with the clear 

objective to regulate not only gambling but 

also gaming, including games of skill. It has 

had this function for years. 

Some six or seven years ago the MGA (or 

as it was known then, the Lotteries and 

Gaming Authority (LGA)) started to look 

closely at how it might regulate, further 

to the powers and responsibility already 

granted to it by law, certain games other than 

gambling the provision of which online (or 

otherwise remotely) was becoming far more 

widespread. At the time the MGA was looking 

at social games, digital games, massive multiplayer 

games and certain other games the 

outcome of which was preponderantly skill 

based. However, that initiative never gained 

enough momentum or focus to get off the 

ground. 

It was more recently, and specifically in January 

2015 that the MGA opened a consultation 

process pointing out its concern that aspects 

of how skill games were being provided might 

not be adequately covered by legislation and 

regulations in force at the time. In particular, 

the MGA expressed its concerns on: 

• the increased trend for games based on 

skill to be played for the opportunity to 

win a prize, whether monetary or having 

monetary value, 

• several online skill game operators 

holding money in some form of “virtual 

wallet” on behalf of their customers, 

• there being effectively no supervision 

at all of whether the outcome of games 

said to be based on skill was actually 

such and on whether prizes or winnings 

were being distributed fairly, 

• there being no guidance, regulation 

or supervision whether monetary 

transactions were being entered into by 

minors. 

In a position paper published in December 

2015 on Digital Games of Skill with Prize, 

following a strong response from industry, 

NGOs and government agencies that the 

MGA advocated for the separate regulation 

of certain types of skill games. 

The Maltese government, persuaded by the 

strong public interest rationale set out by the 

MGA, spent the best part of 2016 working 

on regulations which focus on consumers, 

ensuring that skill games are conducted in 

a fair and transparent manner and ensuring 

that the sector is kept crime-free. This led 

to the Skill Games Regulations of 2016 

(“Regulations”) being published and coming 

into force on 24 January 2017. 

The Regulations govern the provision of 

certain games of skill, in or from Malta. They 

key consideration for a game to potentially be 

subject to the Regulations is that its outcome 

must be predominantly, but not solely, 

based on skill. The regulations are intended 

to address a range of games which vary 

substantially from typical games ofW chance. 

They seek to distinguish between areas where 

the state’s intervention is deemed necessary, 

and others where it is not, by referring only 

to certain types of skill games (which include 

fantasy sports and daily fantasy sports) as 

“Controlled Skill Games”. 

It is evident that Malta would not like to 

impose a regulatory burden on the provision 

of services where additional state supervision 

is not necessary or justifiable. At the same 

time, and in line with the prevalent trend 

already noticeable in the United States, Malta 

has recognised that an entire new sector of 

the economy deserves specific and separate 

recognition. 

The Regulations empower the MGA to 

issue licences of a period of validity of 5 

years (and renewable for further periods) for 

the provision of Controlled Skill Games and 

even Controlled Skill Games Supplies. The 

former covers games for the participation by 

consumers, whilst the latter covers supplies 

made from one business to another. 

Importantly, Malta has recognised the need 

to afford protection to consumers who play 

certain games of skill online, including Fantasy 

Sports, whilst differentiating these games 

from games of chance. 

Activities carried out under a Controlled 

Skilled Games licence are clearly not gambling 

under Maltese law. It is interesting to consider 

what the applicable cross border rules are 

when services provided under this type of 

licence are provided by a Maltese licensee 

to persons in another EU member state. 

An argument can undoubtedly be made 

that country of origin principle for the free 

movement of services should apply. In other 

words, that the rules to be observed by the 

providers of these services are those which 

apply in the EU member state from which 

they are offered. As readers will know, the 

provision of gambling services does not 

benefit from this principle. 

The burden of proving to the MGA that a 

game is a skill game is entirely on the applicant 

for a Controlled Skill Game licence. When 

carrying out its analysis of the game the MGA 

will follow the list of criteria set out in the 

Regulations which include looking into the 

game structure and the number of variables 

built into a contest to subvert the elements of 

chance. 

The Regulations have been well received with 

around 25-30 applications for Controlled Skill 

Game licences reportedly filed with the MGA 

since February 2017 and it looks like this is a 

sector which will grow in Malta with increased 

interest being shown by fantasy sports and 

other skill game providers. 

A full copy of the article can be found on EGR 

Intel. MBR 

34 


35


BLOCKCHAIN LAUNCH 

Malta’s first Blockchain 

Application launched 

Are you converting, retaining and winning back 

clients by offering a customer experience that is 

more meaningful and personal? 

“Blockchains are not merely a business 

opportunity, but a way to change how 

governments serve their citizens and private 

companies their clients. The main priorities 

should be regulation and incentives to 

attract the right capital and talent to 

stimulate growth in this sector.” 

This was stated by well-known technologist 

David Schranz and businessman Anthony 

Mamo who after 20 months of research and 

development, have just launched the first 

locally built Distributed Ledger Application 

targeted at property transfer management, 

LP 01, through their newly set up company 

Ledger Projects. 

“Rolling out such technology as lock 

chain is easier in Malta since the country 

enjoys a strong financial system, talent, 

entrepreneurial spirit and a can-do approach 

that can turn our island into a base and a testbed 

for new sectors and technologies. Malta 

has become a centre of excellence with an 

enviable reputation in many sectors, and not 

only ones that are ICT related. The formula, so 

to speak, is already tried and tested and can 

therefore be replicated in other areas such as 

block chain,” said the two entrepreneurs. 

36 

Speaking about the main advantages of 

blockchain, David Schranz explained how 

the technology enables any two parties to 

make an exchange without the oversight 

or intermediation of a third party, strongly 

reducing or even eliminating counterparty 

risk. “This means that the users are in control 

of all their information and transactions. 

Furthermore when using blockchain one can 

claim that data is complete, consistent, timely, 

accurate, and widely available.” 

The team at Ledger Projects is being 

mentored by Dr Abdalla Kablan, who is a 

widely respected fintech expert and data 

scientist. Dr Kablan has always been at the 

forefront of disruptive technology and is 

considered a renowned entrepreneur and 

published academic. His interdisciplinary 

background in fintech and machine learning 

has been paramount to his international 

success, and Ledger Projects is delighted that 

he has mentored our team academically. 

Speaking about Ledger Projects’ first product 

LP 01, Anthony Mamo said “We have been 

focused on researching, developing and 

testing LP 01 for the past 20 months. The 

design process was somewhat difficult 

because we wanted to ensure that we would 

be able to scale horizontally within reasonable 

time frames. During this time we also focused 

on identifying immediate opportunities 

where DLT could bring tangible benefits 

to multiple users and the plan is to deploy 

another 2 applications at 6 month intervals.” 

Referring to the people at Ledger Projects, 

Anthony Mamo added, “the team is small 

but very diverse, and consists of people with 

very different skillsets and backgrounds. We 

have managed to attract persons who are 

academics, technologists with a passion for 

innovation and people with a strong legal 

background. We are also fortunate enough to 

be able to involve from time to time people 

with experience in a particular field to explain 

inefficiencies in their business process and 

provide feedback to our proposed solutions.” 

Ledger Projects will be launched during a 

morning event at the Westin Dragonara this 

coming Thursday 28th September when the 

company will also present its first 'ready to 

use' Blockchain application. Those interested 

to attend may register by sending an email to 

info@ledgerprojects.com. Places are limited 

and requests received will be accepted on a 

first come first served basis. MBR 

Creditline: Corporate Identities 

Our goal is to offer best-in-class services and 

technologies that help you visualise and use 

your information in a meaningful way; enabling 

you to take the right decisions at the right time. 

Empowering Business 

imovo.com.mt


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provide students with a first-class educational 

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Students ask for an excellent teaching 

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through their course, but also that they will 

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At eie Educational Group, you will have a 

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eie Educational Group, was established in 

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The eie Educational Group aims to develop the 

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eie the key to be competitive and to share 

the collective experience and continuous 

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In a fast moving world, challenges are 

demanding and change is constant. 

Tomorrow’s future depends on today’s 

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Through its companies, the EIE EDUCATIONAL GROUP is able to 

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38 www.maltabusinessreview.net 39


DRONES 

eCOMMERCE 


Launch of the FastTrak initiative 

and the revised eCommerce Strategy 

Martin Lanni, CEO of Quantum Aviation, 

on why drones are a risky business 

Drones are becoming 

an ever more common 

part of modern 

life but should you 

be wary of them? 

Martin Lanni, CEO of 

Quantum Aviation Ltd, 

a British company 

providing airspace 

security and maritime 

aviation services and 

consultancy which has 

worked on the London 

2012 Olympic Games 

and numerous counterterrorism 

projects, sets 

out everything you 

need to know... 

The anti-drone market is taking off at quite 

some rate. It’s not an exaggeration to state 

that if you care about your security in any 

way, there’s a very good chance that you’ve 

considered or will soon consider adding the 

threat of drones into your risk assessments. 

If you're responsible for a superyacht or 

luxury property then you should be aware 

that drones are taking your picture, checking 

where you park your cars and noting when 

you leave the house. The very nature of these 

fabulous boats and houses draws attention 

- desirable or otherwise - which is precisely 

what owners usually want to avoid. 

What’s your appetite for risk? Are you averse 

or tolerant? How does your assessment 

process consider the likelihood and severity 

of a drone threat? The objective target for 

incidents should be zero, of course, but 

in reality creating a situation where the 

risk is ‘tolerable and as low as reasonably 

practicable’ is a working solution. Many 

organisations claim to be risk averse, but it’s 

likely that while there may be a line on a risk 

assessment, little practical mitigations are 

actually in place for a number of threats. This 

is not a criticism, merely an observation of 

the budget-driven reality of security. Resource 

prioritisation is the perpetual burden of any 

manager and security is no different. 

From a practical perspective, what means 

are available to protect you against drones? 

Regulation plays a big part. This both 

manages the benign drone operator, be they 

hobbyist or commercial, and helps restrict the 

availability of unregistered drones. Regulation 

helps prevent a benignly intended but 

incompetent operator accidentally infringing 

your privacy. However, the malignly driven 

person is unlikely to be dissuaded by rules. 

Burglars know that breaking into a house is 

against the law but still they burgle. Drones 

are a paparazzi’s dream. Much easier than 

lurking in the undergrowth with a massive 

telephoto lens. 

Thankfully there are options beyond mere 

regulation. We see a lot of ‘solutionising’ in 

this industry. Buy some equipment and then 

work out what to do with it. This is letting 

the tail wag the dog. At Quantum we prefer a 

requirements driven approach. What actually 

is your problem? You may not know exactly 

so do a risk assessment and get professional 

help. 

Of course, this comes with its own dangers so 

remember the cliché ‘if you think professionals 

are expensive, you should see what an 

amateur costs’. Do your own due diligence 

on anyone purporting to be an ‘expert’. Are 

they really experienced in the field? Can they 

prove it? The anti-drone industry, like any 

other, is full of snake oil salesmen. Before 

you commit to a product, check if it’s really 

in production and out there getting used, 

there’s a proliferation of beta systems – you 

don’t want to be surprised the system works! 

Quantum use a blend of sensors to protect 

a project – every situation is different and 

demands a bespoke approach. Call us. We’ll 

be happy to help. MBR 

Visit quantumaviation.co.uk 

Creditline: Boat International 

Parliamentary Secretary Silvio Schembri 

launched the FastTrak initiative and the 

publication of a revised eCommerce Strategy. 

Silvio Schembri explained that the aim of 

both initiatives is to raise awareness on the 

use of social media by businesses - not only to 

facilitate administrative practices but also to 

ensure an efficient channel of communication 

with the consumer, keeping in mind that 70% 

of the population use the internet to seek 

information before purchasing a product. 

“Social media facilitates closer proximity 

between buyer and seller”, explained 

Parliamentary Secretary Schembri, while 

pointing out that a number of microbusiness 

owners are now interacting with 

their clients via Facebook. Yet, there still 

remains room for improvement in order to 

enhance competitiveness between and for 

the businesses - the greater contributors to 

Malta’s economic growth. 

“In this context, we are launching these 

free training sessions to help businesses, 

particularly the self-employed, to boost their 

economic activity”, added Silvio Schembri. 

The Malta Communications Authority, 

with the support of the Malta Employers’ 

Association (MEA), and the Malta Chamber of 

SMEs (GRTU), will offer free training sessions 

on Digital Marketing with a special focus on 

online presence and social media. FastTrak will 

offer retailers the opportunity to learn how to 

enhance communication with customers and 

how to adopt an appropriate strategy for their 

business while knocking down the barriers 

that stop retailers from using social media in 

their business activity. 

This complements other initiatives that 

MCA took since the launch of the National 

eCommerce Strategy in 2014 which was 

updated after a public consultation. The 

revised eCommerce Strategy emphasizes the 

need that businesses should now embrace 

the digital shift that is transforming the retail 

industry. 

Businesses interested in attending these 

training sessions are invited to visit MCA’s 

website, www.mca.org.mt and complete the 

FastTrak application form. MBR 

Source: The Parliamentary Secretariat For Financial 

Services, Digital Economy And Innovation 

40 41 



BLOCKCHAIN 

BLOCKCHAIN 


TRANSPARENCY AND IMMUTABILITY 

Taking Malta at the forefront of fintech 

and disruptive innovation 

David Schranz, CEO of Ledger Projects 

MBR: Can you describe and define blockchain 

application? I'm always interested to 

hear people describe it because everyone 

seems to have a slightly different take… 

DS: Using just two words, the most suitable 

definition is digitized trust. It is also the most 

relevant definition today since we seem to 

live in a time when counterparties trust each 

other less and less and the trust gap needs 

to be bridged. From a scientific viewpoint 

Block chain is a technology that creates an 

incorruptible digital ledger of economic 

transactions that can be programmed 

to record not just financial transactions 

but virtually everything of value including 

contracts. In my opinion distributed ledger 

technologies really have the potential to 

revolutionize most industries in the very near 

future. 

MBR: What can you tell us about your 

pioneering work building the first Maltese 

Distributed Ledger Application targeted at 

property transfer management? 

DS: Our system is very scalable and 

flexible, focused on building a framework 

of micro services designed around the 

blockchain proposition. And thanks to our 

technical team's strong capabilities, we are 

continuously looking at other improvements 

to the system, such as the use of chain 

oracles since computing on the blockchain is 

expensive and sometimes slow. We also plan 

to implement sharing mechanisms, which 

by Martin Vella 

reduce the information every node has to 

store and process, so that the system can 

process more parallel transactions; thereby 

increasing scalability. The true strengths of 

the technology are trust, transparency, less 

friction, reduced costs and overall increased 

efficiency. These are strengths that can be 

applied to the infrastructure supporting 

property transfer management and this is 

why with our first blockchain application LP01, 

we seek to consolidate all of the benefits 

just mentioned for use in this particular 

area. We have been focused on researching, 

developing and testing LP 01 for the past 20 

months. Now the plan is to deploy another 2 

applications at 6 month intervals. 

Due to the decentralized 

networks, blockchain does not 

have a central point of failure 

and is better able to withstand 

malicious attacks 

MBR: What are the main advantages of 

using block-chain technology? 

DS: One of the main advantages of 

blockchain is that it enables any two parties 

to make an exchange without the oversight 

or intermediation of a third party, strongly 

reducing or even eliminating counterparty 

risk. This means that the users are in control 

of all their information and transactions. 

Furthermore when using blockchain one can 

claim that data is complete, consistent, timely, 

“Blockchains are not merely a 

business opportunity, but a 

way to change how governments 

serve their citizens and how 

private companies serve their 

clients. The main priorities 

should be regulation and 

incentives to attract the 

right capital and talent to 

stimulate growth in this 

sector,” stated by Maltese 

technologist David Schranz, 

CEO of Ledger projects, 

who recently co-launched 

the first ever Maltese 

built Distributed Ledger 

Application targeted at 

property transfer management, 

LP 01, through their newly 

set up company Ledger 

Projects. 

accurate, and widely available. And due to the 

decentralized networks, blockchain does not 

have a central point of failure and is better 

able to withstand malicious attacks. This adds 

a layer of Transparency and immutability 

because changes to public blockchains are 

publicly viewable by all parties creating 

transparency, and all transactions are 

immutable, and cannot be altered or deleted. 

MBR: How can one regulate block-chain 

applications in order to attract the right 

capital and talent to stimulate growth in this 

sector? 

DS: Malta already enjoys a number of 

important advantages. Geographically, we 

are excellently positioned, we are English 

speaking, have a strong financial system, we 

are talented and resourceful and have always 

shown a strong entrepreneurial spirit and 

a can-do approach. These qualities, couple 

with our country’s small size, make Malta 

into an ideal base and a test-bed for new 

sectors and technologies. These are already 

very important qualities that investors look 

for and which can attract capital investment 

to our country. Malta has become a centre 

of excellence with an enviable reputation 

in many sectors, and not only ones that 

are ICT related. The formula, so to speak, is 

already tried and tested and can therefore be 

replicated in other areas such as Blockchain. 

Growth in this sector should also be 

supported by the right legislative framework, 

developed by Government, hand in hand 

with the sector’s experts. Government has 

already stated its wish for Malta to be at the 

forefront of fintech and disruptive innovation. 

Therefore, whilst in many other jurisdictions 

block chain still has an uncertain regulatory 

status, local decision makers need to realize 

the benefits of adopting the technology 

and act fast to ensure we’re ahead of other 

competing jurisdictions. This will stimulate 

further growth in this sector and make it 

attractive to more investment. 

MBR: Can you tell us how Ledger Projects 

came into being and what are the core 

objectives? 

DS: Blockchain technology has been on the 

local radar for a number of months. Malta’s 

Government has also expressed its wish for 

Malta to become 'The silicon Valley of Europe' 

when it comes to fintech and disruptive 

innovation. We also believed that Malta, being 

a small market, commands a better advantage 

when it comes to rolling out technology such 

as Block-chain. With this in mind, we already 

knew that the right environment was being 

fostered and decided to invest 20 months of 

research and development that finally led us 

to launch of Ledger Projects and its first locallybuilt 

Distributed Ledger Application targeted 

at property transfer management. We are 

proud to be the first Maltese company with 

the first blockchain application developed in 

Malta because our core objective is to put 

Malta on the blockchain map. Following our 

successful launch two weeks ago, we have 

already started seeing very encouraging 

feedback. 

MBR: It seems from the industry perspective 

there’s also a bit of a herd mentality with 

blockchain that’s acting in its favour. Once 

one bank moves, all the others want to 

be involved too. How long have you been 

trying to pitch this to the banks? 

DS: We agree with your statement that 

there's a bit of a herd mentality but we can 

also expect this to dwindle, at least slightly, 

when all this hype dies down. In a way its 

history repeating itself; just recently every 

conference mentioned Big data and we saw 

the creation of companies offering big data 

solutions. Shortly after, as big data became 

less of a buzz word Artificial intelligence 

became its replacement, and a number of 

companies wanted to get involved in Artificial 

Intelligence. And this is now happening with 

Blockchain. 

We also believed that Malta, 

being a small market, 

commands a better advantage 

when it comes to rolling out 

technology such as Blockchain. 

As we have said on a number of occasions 

we have been interested in the sphere of 

Distributed Ledger Technology for over two 

years, thanks to our friend and Science and 

Technology Mentor Dr Abdalla Kablan who is 

an international authority in this field, and in 

our opinion, a person who is quite a few steps 

ahead in the Fintech/Regtech world. Let's 

remember Abdalla had presented in Malta 

a high frequency currency trading platform, 

using AI, six or seven years ago - quite some 

time before Artificial intelligence gained 

prominence. The same with Big Data. At the 

moment we are not focused on pitching 

a solution to banks, even though on an 

international front, a great number of banks 

are showing interest in DLT, and will most 

likely adopt the technology quite soon. We 

know a number of similar companies to ours 

are collaborating with banks and are already 

past proof of concept stage, and the results 

are very positive. 

MBR: Does this technology need a critical 

mass to go main stream? 

DS: If by critical mass one is referring to 

Government related services then as is the 

case with the provision of most services, and 

not only technology, the true potential of DLT 

may be maximised if adopted by such a 'large' 

single user, but there are other stakeholders, 

or even, groups of professionals, who, if 

working together utilising this technology 

will bring out the best of DLT in just the 

same way. There are also very prominent 

technologists and academics who believe 

that it is almost inevitable that DLT will go 

main stream. Richard Etwaru, the author of 

a very informative book on the subject titled 

'Blockchain - Trust Companies' claims that 

most companies will be disrupted by a trusted 

version of itself. Definitely a bold claim, but a 

possibility nevertheless. From a technical 

perspective, since DLT are still young, we can 

foresee problems related to scalability and 

speed however once networks grow however 

these issues are being addressed and it is fair 

to assume, will be resolved. 

MBR: How long do you see industry 

adoption of blockchain taking? 

DS: Malta is already at the forefront of 

international developments when it comes 

to DLT adoption. In September our island 

became the first country, not in Europe, but 

in the world to manage educational records 

through DLT. This is very encouraging and 

we are hopeful that other Government 

Department's will follow suit. It is very 

clear that the local authorities believe this 

technology is indeed a tool to better serve 

citizens. We are also seeing interest for DLT 

solutions from medium - large sized firms, 

since the private sector too has come to 

realise that the technology can help to better 

serve customers and clients. If this kind of 

momentum is maintained we can cautiously 

say, sooner rather than later. MBR 


42 43 



DENTAL HEALTHCARE 

EU: ROAMING 


Lack of faith 

and overcoming your fears! 

Cheaper 

A Case Scenario 

A young woman in her late 40’s, presents 

with a poor-looking heavily treated dentition. 

She is unhappy, disappointed and has almost 

given up on finding a solution to her troubled 

smile. She was given a few options, from jaw 

repositioning to removable dentures, which 

were too extreme for her. Her saving grace 

was that she wasn’t expecting any miracles. 

She was realistic in what she wished to 

achieve and more than anything determined 

to get it done. 3D radiography showed more 

obstacles; the presence of a large cyst, lack of 

bone quantity both in width and height, all 

difficult factors to deal with. Her wish was not 

to have a Hollywood smile (almost) but to be 

able to smile again, with confidence! 

The treatment consisted of 2stages. 

Stage 1 

Cosmetic crowning and veneering 

of the lower dentition 

Removal of remaining upper 

teeth and cyst 

Placement of 6 implants with 

simultaneous bone grafting 

Stage 2 

Provisional fixed bridge to assess 

new tooth angulations, colour 

and contour. 

Conversion of provisional fixedbridge 

to a definitive porcelainbridge. 

Extra-Oral before treatment 

Lateral view before treatment 

For some dentistry is a sore point and not a 

topic of conversation. It could be a subject 

that makes you churn and even sweat. 

Why? A history of bad dentistry? Repeated 

toothache? Is it true to say that not everyone 

is blessed with good teeth? I believe it is 

partly true. According to Darwin we are 

both what our environment makes us to be 

and what our parents made us to be. Fiftyfifty! 

The environment includes sugary diets 

and lack of hygiene while in some, genetics 

may predispose them to weak teeth. Some 

patients brush and brush religiously and yet 

still develop cavities or have gum disease. 

Others rarely or never brush and yet have 

intact teeth with no gum disease. 

Some patients say they have been let down 

by their dentist. This could be due to poor 

treatment, pain during treatment, lack of 

communication and cosmetic end result. 

They may have never been offered the 

right treatment plan that suits them. These 

scenarios are not necessary associated with 

old age. Some patients have real dental 

problems early on in their adult lifetime. Some 

mothers say that their teeth degenerated 

Extra-Oral after treatment 

Lateral view after treatment 

during pregnancy and early motherhood. An 

old wife’s tale? Maybe, however there might 

be some truth at least in timing as young 

career mothers have less time for themselves 

and their daily needs resulting in a possible 

decrease in dental care amongst others. 

It is never too late to fix your smile. All ages 

matter! Previous failure in fixing your teeth is 

nothing but the opportunity to start again! 

Ask your dentist! MBR 

DR JEAN PAUL DEMAJO 

Dental and Implant Surgeon, 

Trained in London working in 

private practice in Malta 

MEP Marlene Mizzi 

Long-distance intra-EU calls should cost the 

same as calling within the same country, 

according to a draft law approved on Monday. 

The Committee on Industry, Research and 

Energy (ITRE) voted on Monday evening on an 

update of EU rules on telecoms. The objective 

is to improve access to networks across 

the EU, including making 5G connections 

available to all citizens. The bill, still to be 

agreed with EU Ministers, also provides for 

measures to protect consumers. 

Cost of long-distance calls 

EU communications companies should 

justify when they charge additional fees to 

users calling from mobiles or landlines to 

another EU member state, committee MEPs 

agreed. The Body of European Regulators for 

Electronic Communications (BEREC) would 

set out guidelines on how service providers 

could recover the costs they incur in other 

ways. 

Reverse 112 to alert in the event of a 

terrorist attack 

A “reverse 112 system” was also introduced 

by committee MEPs, enabling national 

authorities to alert citizens in the event of 

imminent major emergencies and disasters, 

such as a terrorist attack or a natural 

catastrophe, using geo-localisation tools. 

This system aims to reduce casualties by 

instructing people on what to do if they are 

in danger. 

Protection from hacking 

MEPs also want the use of end-to-end 

encryption to be mandatory to protect the 

confidentiality of communications. Users 

should be informed of risks resulting from 

a security incident and possible protective 

measures or solutions that they can take. 

New rules for businesses 

The reform of EU telecoms markets aims to: 

• stimulate competition and reduce 

differences in practices among national 

antitrust bodies 

• encourage bigger and longer-term 

investments in network infrastructures 

• provide consumers with faster 

connections, including 5G 

In addition, MEPs want licences for the radio 

spectrum for telecoms companies to last 25 

years to incentivise investments. They should 

be subject to a review after at least 10 years, 

to ensure they are being used efficiently. 

MEPs also want reserve prices (i.e. price set 

for a bid) and licensing fees to reflect real 

market conditions. 

Finally, companies providing electronic 

communications services in more than one 

member state will benefit from a home 

market regime, i.e. the same conditions as 

local companies. 

Setting up of BEREC 

The committee finally voted on a separate 

draft legislation, still part of the same package 

of proposals, for the establishment of the 

Body of European Regulators for Electronic 

Communications (BEREC), with the objective 

of implementing electronic communications 

legislation consistently across the Union. 

phone 

calls to 

other EU 

countries 

MEPs 

MEP Marlene Mizzi, S&D negotiator on 

this file in the Internal Market Consumer 

Protection Committee (IMCO) said: 

"Roaming was a great political victory, but 

now it is time for the next big step towards 

creating a single telecoms market for 

European consumers. Now, it is time to lower 

international call charges and to ensure that 

having access to basic and affordable internet 

is an universal right to all EU citizens. 

Today, with one vote we have won many 

battles. We not only lowered the price gap 

between national and international calls, 

but we improved enormously consumer’s 

rights and rights for people with disabilities 

in the telecom sector. This proposal will bring 

many tangible benefits to European citizens 

and might even save their lives with the new 

provisions on the emergency numbers 112 

and 116 on missing children and with the 

adoption of a special public warning system 

that will inform people who find themselves 

in danger zones, such as terrorist attacks or 

natural catastrophes." 

Next steps 

Informal negotiations with EU Ministers are 

expected to start promptly, once plenary has 

approved the draft negotiating mandate. MBR 

Creditline: Directorate-General for Communication, 

Directorate for Information Offices, European 

Parliament Information Office in Malta 

44 45 



EU 

EU 


YOUR MONTHLY GUIDE TO WHAT’S 

DRIVING BRUSSELS AND EUROPE 

By RYAN HEATH with HARRY COOPER and QUENTIN ARIÈS 

A TALE OF TWO 

INFRASTRUCTURE 

PLANS 

The European Union is rightly accused of 

being a slow-moving beast; even Jean- 

Claude Juncker admitted as much in media 

appearances this week. That accusation 

has never stuck to the investment plan that 

bears Juncker’s name, formally known as 

the European Fund for Strategic Investments 

(EFSI). The first version exited the EU labyrinth 

in record time in early 2015. After 300,000 

jobs created and more than €200 billion 

invested, a second version was agreed this 

week, adjacent to Juncker’s State of the 

European Union address. But where is U.S. 

President Donald Trump’s trillion-dollar 

infrastructure plan? 

Gillian Tett of the Financial Times spoke with 

Dan Slane, the man charged with drafting 

Trump’s plan and found that he’s not even 

sure if the president has read his plan. The 

ideas, it seems, are hostage to everything 

from possible tax reform to the U.S. transport 

secretary being married to a Senate leader 

that Trump can’t stand: Mitch McConnell. All 

this from a president who is actually an expert 

in infrastructure. Maybe there’s an answer to 

Henry Kissinger’s famous question after all. 

If you want to “call Europe,” try calling the 

infrastructure team. MBR 

REMEMBERING 

PAUL McLEAN 

WHO’S UP? 

Jean-Claude Juncker: His State of the 

European Union address was notable for its 

ambition and optimism, and he didn’t veer 

off-script. 

Erna Solberg: Norway’s center-right leader 

looks set for another term as the country’s 

prime minister after facing down her Labor 

rival. 

SPEAK, PRAY, LOVE: MEET 

RENAISSANCE WOMAN 

When Theresa May announced she would 

give a big Brexit speech in Florence, one of the 

first questions asked was “Why Florence?” 

Was it a Machiavelli or Medici reference? 

A Thatcher-esque Bruges speech for 2017? 

Not so much, according to what Playbook is 

hearing. 

Until her disastrous 2017 election campaign, 

May’s career was defined by speeches in 

which she challenged her audience’s orthodox 

views. The tradition started in 2002 with her 

FT Brussels bureau chief Alex Barker wrote to 

readers about his colleague who died tragically 

while on holiday in Sri Lanka: “He was smart, 

supremely generous, and infectiously funny,” 

and lauded “his genuinely groundbreaking 

AND WHO’S 

DOWN? 

Sigmar Gabriel: He may be Germany’s 

most popular minister, but Angela Merkel 

crushed his plan to suspend arms exports to 

Turkey over human rights concerns. 

Beata Szydło: The Polish prime minister 

faces European court cases on all sides, this 

week on allegations of illegal logging and 

potentially on judicial reforms. 

labelling of the Tories as “the nasty party.” The 

speech-as-strategy plan reached its height 

with her first speech as prime minister, in 

which she cast herself as the champion of the 

vulnerable and powerless. 

While Brussels waits for a divorce offer from 

Britain, something that May could provide in 

Florence, expect the speech to unveil “Theresa 

May, European Renaissance Woman.” Or 

perhaps “Theresa May, spokesperson for Europe 

without the EU.” You’ve been warned. MBR 

work on the EU,” that was exceptional given 

his youth. The last achievement: Calculating 

that Britain would need to renegotiate no 

fewer than 759 treaties with 168 countries as 

a result of Brexit. MBR 

QUOTE OF THE 

MONTH 

“I can promise you, 

when you get to 

know him, you’ll 

like him.” 

— Woody Johnson, the U.S. ambassador to 

the U.K., threatening to introduce his boss 

President Donald Trump to Brits. 

FEUD OF THE 

MONTH 

Emmanuel Macron vs. the Slackers: 

Between 220,000 and 400,000 people 

turned out across France Tuesday 

for protests against French President 

Macron’s controversial plans to 

overhaul the labor code, according 

to estimates from the police and 

organizers, respectively. The number 

might have been smaller if the president 

hadn’t moaned about “slackers and 

cynics” holding up reforms. Many of 

the marchers co-opted the “slacker” 

term and turned it against Macron. “I’d 

rather be a slacker than a CEO,” read one 

placard hoisted by a protester in Paris. 

“King Macron, the slackers will kick you 

out,” read another. Macron missed the 

protest. He spent Tuesday in the French 

Antilles surveying the devastation caused 

by Hurricane Irma. MBR 

EUROGROUP — 

SCHÄUBLE GOES 

OUT WITH A 

BANG: 

GAFFES & LAUGHS 

Play the hits, Sting: The British pop star is 

holding a concert in Estonia at the same 

time as EU leaders are in Tallinn for a digital 

summit. All the VIP packages are sold out — 

but were they snapped up by the leaders? 

If Sting decides to go for a Brexit-themed 

setlist, he could play “If You Love Somebody 

Set Them Free,” “Why Should I Cry For You” 

and “Don’t Stand So Close To May” On a non- 

Brexit theme, how about “Russians?” 

EU board/bored game: Have you been 

looking for a quirky EU-themed card game? 

Well, Playbook has found it. The game 

comes in the form of a pack of cards, and 

the rules can be found at comeonover.eu. 

You can spend hours answering questions 

such as “Who gets airplane tickets from the 

government?” and “Who turned a crane into 

a hotel?” The game was created by Mosaik, a 

communications agency. 

Theresa stew anyone? George Osborne told 

people he wants Theresa May “chopped up 

in bags in my freezer,” according to an Esquire 

A MESSAGE FROM 

THE EPP GROUP: 

Hiding behind calls for transparency, the 

Greens and the Left in the European 

Parliament wanted to prevent shedding 

light on the use of EU taxpayers’ money 

in funding NGOs. Transparency is 

wholeheartedly supported by the EPP 

Group. However, the Giegold report in 

reality seeks to transfer power from an 

elected parliament to unelected NGOs. 

“Risks arising from the accumulation of more 

and more liquidity and the growth of public 

and private debt” could cause a new financial 

crisis, outgoing German Finance Minister 

Wolfgang Schäuble warned in a Financial 

Times interview, ahead of his final Eurogroup 

meeting today. Schäuble is worried about the 

weight of bad loans still on European bank 

books and the amount of money central 

banks are pumping into the economy. MBR 

magazine profile of the former chancellor of 

the exchequer-turned-editor of the Evening 

Standard newspaper. 

The perils of a slim majority: Theresa May 

asked Donald Trump to intervene in a trade 

dispute that threatens 4,500 jobs in Belfast, 

Northern Ireland, after coming under 

pressure from the Democratic Unionist Party, 

whose votes she relies upon to govern, the 

Times reported. Big on the big things, Theresa. 

We’re all doomed: The Daily Express website 

was curiously free of anti-Juncker diatribes 

for much of Tuesday’s State of the European 

Union speech. What got top billing instead? 

“Nibiru APOCALYPSE? Planet X passing will 

fulfil 2,000 year prophecy and DESTROY 

Earth.” 

New Statesman’s Rude Ruth Page Break: Oh 

dear. The left-leaning magazine’s sub-editors 

are very cunning or very red-faced at the 

moment. 

Take the new UK immigration test. As 

imagined by Irish comedy ensemble Foil, 

Arms and Hog. MBR 

CATALAN CRISIS … 

‘Shall we talk?’ Thousands rallied around 

that slogan in Barcelona and Madrid Saturday. 

A much larger group rallied Sunday against 

Catalonia secession: Barcelona police said 

350,000 people participated, while march 

organizers Societat Civil Catalana said 930,000 

turned out. Another thousand showed up at 

the European Parliament in Brussels. Le Soir 

has more. 

Symbolic declaration of independence: Is 

there such a thing? The BBC’s Katya Adler 

tweeted Sunday the Catalan government will 

opt to make such a declaration but stop short 

of a unilateral declaration of a Catalan state 

independent of Spain. 

Rajoy says all legal options remain on table 

to prevent independence: Enric Millo, the 

Spanish prime minister’s representative 

in Barcelona, may have apologized for 

injuries among Catalans on October 1, but 

PM Mariano Rajoy gave an interview in El 

Pais Saturday that gave no hint of talks or 

mediation. MBR 

Creditline: POLITICO SPRL | POLITICO Pro 

46 


47


LUXURY CARS 

INSURANCE 


IN THE DRIVING SEAT: Inside the trend for 

design-it-yourself luxury cars 

by Simon de Burton 

The design-it-yourself approach is spreading through the motoring world, says Simon de Burton... 

Back in the golden age of motoring, cars, 

like boats, were built to a buyer’s personal 

specifications. Marques such as Rolls-Royce, 

Bentley, Bugatti and Hispano-Suiza would 

supply a “rolling chassis” complete with 

engine and gearbox, leaving the owner 

to employ a coachbuilder to create the 

bodywork and trim the interior to order. 

The spread of mass production largely put an 

end to that by the late 1940s, but there has 

recently been a resurgence in demand for 

one-off cars as luxury becomes ever more 

focused on the unique rather than merely the 

high quality and expensive. The new luxury 

is having something no one else has got – 

and, when it comes to cars, even the best 

production models aren’t exclusive enough 

for some if they’re in standard trim. 

One of the first companies to recognise the 

market for such customising was Overfinch. 

Established in 1975 in Leeds, UK, it has grown 

into the go-to company for anyone wanting to 

seriously upgrade their Land or Range Rover. 

From marquetry dashboards and jewelled 

badging on your Discovery to a remotecontrolled, 

slide-out boot floor and titanium 

exhaust pipes on your Sport, Overfinch will 

create the SUV of your dreams. 

Such is the demand for after-market 

“bespoking” that many high-end car marques 

offer personalisation services direct. Aston 

Martin’s Q division (named, of course, after 

James Bond’s gadget boffin) promises to meet 

your every whim when it comes to creating a 

really special car. It has demonstrated this by 

building a version of the Vanquish dedicated 

to the RAF Red Arrows aerobatic display 

team and painted in the same “Eclat red” 

as the aircraft and with seats the colour of 

flight suits. Q can also design and build you 

a car from the ground up, complete with 

exclusively designed body. 

A similar service is offered by McLaren’s 

Special Operations department, which, 

thanks to the carbon fibre MonoCell on 

which its production cars are based, can 

create any coachwork you desire to put on 

top, so long as it’s road legal – and doesn’t 

compromise safety or performance. Frankly, 

if you can design a better looking car than 

the professionals at McLaren then you’ve 

probably missed your calling. MBR 

Visit overfinch.com; astonmartin.com; cars. 

mclaren.com 

Custom McLaren P1 

Aston Martin’s Red Arrows Vanquish 

Overfinch specialises in high-end customisation of Range Rovers and Land Rovers 

MAPFRE Middlesea launches client portal 

MAPFRE Middlesea has launched its client 

portal, MyInsurance, allowing customers to 

view and manage their insurance policies 

online, through a user-friendly and highly 

personalised interactive service. 

The client portal will offer the ease of selfservice 

to client with regards to various 

insurance products. The service will offer 

an overview of the client’s policies and the 

status while also allowing them to submit a 

claim, track the status of that claim and pay 

the excess. If a policy renewal is pending, 

customers will get a notification and they 

will be allowed to renew the policy and pay 

online. 

Customers also have access to the report 

library and will be able to download the policy 

certificate and schedule. MyInsurance also 

allows for personal details to be updated and 

for queries to be made online. The services 

are available for home, motor, travel, health 

and commercial insurance products. 

Upon their first access to the portal, clients 

will be requested to enter a unique code, 

which they would have received with their 

renewal notice. A 24/7 call centre will be able 

to assist clients with the usage of the client 

portal. The portal can be accessed on https:// 

myinsurance.middlesea.com/ MBR 

Register to win 

Meanwhile, customers who register and sign 

into the web portal enter the chance to win a 

weekend break. 

The launch of the client portal is in line 

with MAPFRE’s global value of digital 

transformation. For more information visit: 

www.middlesea.com 

Mapfre Middlesea p.l.c. (C-5553) is authorised 

by the Malta Financial Services Authority to 

carry on both Long Term and General Business 

under the Insurance Business Act, 1998. 

MMS180917/2 

Malta is planning to start allowing the use of 

Cryptocurrencies in iGaming 

Parliamentary Secretary Silvio Schembri 

The Government is working on a plan which 

will allow the use of cryptocurrencies in 

iGaming, where a player will be able to 

transact in digital currency in and out of 

gaming platforms. 

Parliamentary Secretary for Financial 

Services, Digital Economy and Innovation 

Silvio Schembri announced this at the launch 

of a blockchain application intended for the 

property market and developed by a private 

company, Ledger Projects. 

Mr Schembri said that these initiatives 

showed that Malta was gaining momentum 

and moving fast in the adoption of blockchain 

technology. 

He added that this work will enable to harness 

the market with the right regulation. 

This blockchain app, named LP01, was 

launched by Ledger Projects, a company 

incorporated in Malta with Maltese 

shareholders focused on developing 

blockchain and distributed ledger technology 

for state and private use. 

This blockchain app eliminates the possibility 

of having multiple promises of sale 

documents on the same property, therefore 

it will facilitate the works carried out by 

notaries. It caters both for the acquisition 

and sale of property, increasing efficiency 

and transparency particularly on the tax paid 

when transferring property. 

The CEO of Ledger Projects David Schranz 

and entrepreneur Anthony Mamo said that 

the introduction of new technology such as 

blockchain help Malta to become a centre of 

excellence. MBR 

Courtesy: DOI 

48 


49


ARTS & CULTURE 


Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti collaborates 

in a major exhibition on Picasso and Miró 

ORGANIZED BY FUNDACIÓN MAPFRE 

Photo: from left to right, Mr John Cassar White, Mr Michael Lowell, Mr Martin Galea, 

H.E. Mrs Marie Louise Coleiro Preca, Mr Felipe Navarro, Mr John Camilleri 

Throughout the spring of 2018 the Grand 

Master’s Palace in Valletta, which will then 

be the European Capital City of Culture, will 

open its doors to a remarkable collection 

confronting the work of two major 

Spanish artists of the 20th century: Pablo 

Picasso and Joan Miró. This exhibition will 

be part of a major international project 

“Picasso-Méditerranée”, an initiative from 

Musée national Picasso-Paris, which is an 

international cultural event held from Spring 

2017 to Spring 2019. Over sixty cultural 

institutions have come together to conjure 

up a programme around the Mediterranean 

work of Pablo Picasso. Initiated by the Musée 

national Picasso-Paris, this journey into the 

creation of the artist and across the places 

which inspired him, aims at strengthening ties 

between all the shores. 

The exhibition is being brought to Malta by 

Fundación MAPFRE who believe that culture 

enriches people’s lives and one of its principle 

aims is to bring art and history closer to the 

public through exhibitions, courses and 

publications. Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti 

(FPM) will be collaborating with Fundación 

MAPFRE and the Office of the President of 

Malta who is kindly making available the 

Grand Master’s Palace in Valletta for the setup 

of the exhibition ‘Picasso and Miró: The 

Flesh and The Spirit’ - the first of its kind to be 

displayed in Malta.. 

Pablo Picasso was one of the greatest and 

most influential artists of the twentieth 

century. He has a worldwide reputation and 

his works fetch the highest prices at auction 

houses. The exhibition comprises a suite of a 

hundred etchings produced by Picasso in the 

1930s for the legendary art dealer, Ambrose 

Vollard; and over forty paintings by Miró, in a 

bid to explore the different possibilities which 

modern art offered them. Pablo Jiménez 

Burillo, Director of the Culture Department 

at Fundación MAPFRE and curator of the 

show, explains: “This project intends to 

display something more than a show of two 

of the most significant creators of the 20th 

century who really shook up traditional art. 

This exhibition not only tries to delve into 

the soul of the artists through their powerful 

passions, feelings and inspirations, but also 

it will demonstrate the significance of their 

personal universes, full of symbols, which 

depict their personalities. While Picasso 

unties the dark forces of the male obsessions 

and delights in female beauty, Miró instructs 

us in pure colors and free gestures, which 

represent the generosity of nature and the 

key to attain happiness. 

Fundación MAPFRE in collaboration with 

the Office of the President of Malta and 

Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti (FPM) is offering 

this unique chance for those interested to 

learn more about Picasso and Miró: The Flesh 

and the Spirit. The exhibition will open to the 

public on 7th April and will run until 30th June 

2018 at the Grand Master’s Palace in Valletta, 

Malta. 

For more information contact Ana Zammit 

Munro [AnaZ@middlesea.com] MBR 

50 


51


ECP 2017 

SUPERMARKET LAUNCH 


MEPs present the European Citizens' Prize 2017 

to the Għaqda Każini tal-Banda 

DAVEs delivers better 

customer experiences 

After a long, hot Summer of festi, where 

Maltese band clubs are the core of every town 

and village celebration, the Għaqda Każini 

tal-Banda has been awarded the European 

Parliament’s prestigious European Citizens' 

Prize for 2017. 

MEPs Roberta Metsola (EPP), Miriam Dalli 

(S&D) and Francis Zammit Dimech (EPP) 

commended the deep-rooted role of the 

band clubs in Maltese society, highlighting 

their invaluable contribution to culture, their 

role in the heart of towns and villages where 

they serve to educate Maltese youth musically 

and culturally, support them in their musical 

aspirations and open up their horizons in their 

interaction with other European cultures. 

Members encouraged the representatives 

of the Għaqda Każini tal-Banda, the Maltese 

laureates, to attend the European ceremony 

of the European Citizens’ Prize to be held in 

Brussels on 11th October 2017, to which 

all Laureates are invited by the European 

Parliament, and pointed out their potential 

to be part of European programmes such as 

Creative Europe. 

“This Prize will raise the level of our activity 

Europe-wide, reinforcing and enhancing 

our long-standing musical, cultural and 

educational traditions”, President Noel 

Camilleri stated. “This Prize, this recognition 

by the European Parliament which represents 

Europe’s peoples, will also help do away 

with the undeserved stigma placed on band 

clubs by certain parts of Maltese society. As 

recognised by the MEPs, we are a core part of 

our identity as a nation. We have also come a 

long way in our history”. 

Maltese MEPs nominated the Għaqda 

Każini tal-Banda – on the 70th anniversary 

of its founding – for the Citizens’ Prize in 

recognition of its role in promoting crossborder 

musical cooperation with its twinning 

Dr Noel Camilleri, President of the Għaqda Każini tal-Banda, receives the Citizens’ Prize medal from 

MEPs Roberta Metsola, Miriam Dalli and Francis Zammit Dimech (l-r) 

Group photo of the Executive Committee of the Għaqda Każini tal-Banda with MEPs Roberta Metsola, 

Miriam Dalli and Francis Zammit Dimech (l-r) and Anna Zammit Vella, Press Officer of the European 

Parliament Information Office in Malta 

agreements with other European towns and 

villages and enhancing in Maltese society the 

European values of tolerance and solidarity. 

Moreover, Maltese band clubs are drivers of 

societal engagement particularly for youth 

and women and help reinforce ties across 

generations, MEPs said. 

Since 2008, the European Citizens’ Prize 

has recognised projects and initiatives that 

promote EU values, mutual understanding 

and facilitate cross-border cooperation. 

The European Citizens' Prize Laureate from 

Malta will join laureates from the other 27 

EU countries at the European Parliament in 

Brussels for the European award ceremony. 

Background 

The European Parliament’s Citizen’s Prize 

The European Citizen's Prize was launched by 

Parliament in 2008 to recognize exceptional 

achievements by Europeans. The Citizen's 

Prize can be given for activities that either 

facilitate cross-border cooperation within the 

EU or promote better mutual understanding 

and closer integration between citizens and 

member states. It can also be awarded for 

day-to-day activities reflecting the values 

enshrined in the EU's charter of fundamental 

rights. 

Every year, each MEP has the right to 

nominate one candidate. Past winners from 

Malta include Chris Delicata (International 

Diabetes Federation - European Region), Rev. 

Victor Grech (Dar tal-Providenza), Puttinu 

Cares, Hospice Malta, Richmond Foundation, 

and most recently Dar il-Kaptan in 2016. MBR 

Credit: European Parliament Information Office in 

Malta 

Fresh- 

Fast- 

Convenient 

David Grech, owner of DAVEs Supermarket 

When Dave’s opened its doors in 2014 

shoppers flocked to check out Malta's latest 

addition to the supermarket industry. The 

awe factor may have worn off, but customer 

loyalty is flourishing. Owner, David Grech, 

with 20 years in the supermarket industry 

says his formula is working. When it comes to 

pushing the horizon of Malta’s retail business, 

it’s difficult to find a person that dovetails it 

better. If there was one mantra I’d associate 

with him, it would be “where there is a will, 

there is a way”. 

Gone are the days when retailers could get 

by with a limited and unimaginative product 

range. Consumer expectations are changing 

rapidly, and with increasing competition and 

constantly-evolving technology, retailers are 

being forced to up their game. At Daves we 

have adopted a new operational three tier 

concept namely: Daves Mini, Maxi and Super. 

Whereas the Super and Maxi concept will 

cater for a wider choice of products and 

a more focused supermarket shopping 

experience, the Daves Mini concept revolves 

around the idea of modernising ongoing 

groceries and enhancing their assortment 

to better satisfy the everyday needs of their 

clients. Daves Mini is the alternative to the 

village grocer, providing highly focused one to 

one service. 

Our focus remains that of being 

a good employer, providing 

equal opportunities to 

our people 

From the moment one enters at DAVEs, the 

team aims to create a complete shopping 

experience that combines best-in-class 

quality products, customer service and 

store experience. David’s confidence in this 

field is resolute. Over the years, Maltese 

supermarkets have mushroomed and 

prospered, but there have been some 

casualties along the way. David knows how 

best to look after the business - keep your 

finger on the pulse, always be present and 

keep the customer happy. 

"Daves is a solid business," explains David. 

"It is here to stay. I'm not worried about the 

competition - existing or in the pipeline - 

because I have total confidence in this project. 

There is always a staff member on the shop 

floor to deal with problems as they arise and 

solve them. Any complaints are dealt with 

swiftly and amicably,” continued David. 

Speaking about the employees David explains 

“At Daves we consider our employees as 

the most important asset and the face of 

our brand. Our people distinguish us as a 

caring, friendly and flexible employer that 

is focused on supporting our clientele. Our 

focus remains that of being a good employer, 

providing equal opportunities to our people. 

We are steadfast in our committment to 

retain a good level of employee motivation 

and provide training opportunities to our 

people and rewards based on performance. 

We believe in an engaged workforce which 

ultimately affects customer service and the 

success and profitabililty of our business”. 

“Hard work and determination are vital 

ingredients to a successful way forward,” 

explains David. “We thank all our customers 

for the ongoing support; we always strive to 

bring to our customers the best experience 

possible whilst making constant innovations 

and improvements to ensure we can achieve 

a high level of service”. MBR 

52 53 



BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION 

BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION 


THE SEPTEMBER 

STORM 

for bright white colours to obtain the opposite 

effect. 

The idea of one material fits all is just a 

fairy tale, especially when it comes to 

waterproofing. Thermal waterproofing 

insulation are now a reality. Membranes like 

Fibro Guaina reflex are able to reduce 90% of 

heat intake inside buildings and provide an all 

year round protection. 

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. 

For further information with regards the 

Malta Professional Waterproofing and Resin 

Flooring Association visit our website on 

www.maltawaterproofing.com or call us on 

27477647. MBR 

by Antoine Bonello 

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. 

Environmental conditions and house designs 

are different from one country to another and 

so is waterproofing. North European houses 

are subject to intensive cold and experience 

no Sun almost all year round, which is why they 

have slanting roofs and black waterproofing 

membrane to help absorb better the few 

hot UV rays. On the contrary Mediterranean 

countries subject to intensive heat must opt 

Thermal Protective waterproofing membrane 

Houses in Sweden have black roofs to attract the UV rays 

Implementation of Thermal Waterproofing with Fibreglass reinforcement 

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 need to protect our house and especially 

our roofs from the elements is of vital 

importance, failing to do so can result in 

deterioration and damages beyond repair. 

There are situations when structural damages 

are so extensive that architects condemn 

entire roofs to be rebuilt again. This practically 

means that you will be required to remove 

all your belongings from your house, find a 

garage to store them somewhere safe and 

to go and live with your in-laws or rent a 

place while the works are going on. In short 

a nightmare. 

The fact that you are not experiencing water 

drooling down your walls does not mean you 

are not experiencing water intake. Most of 

the time water enters from small openings 

and cracks. This ends up being absorbed by 

the sand and stone mixture beneath the slab 

and create dampness. This dampness is bad 

for the metal inside the concrete. Corroded 

steel expands up to three times its volume 

resulting in spalling concrete. A visible early 

indication of this happening are black mould 

spots on the celling. Mould and mildew are 

fungi - simple microscopic organisms that 

thrive anywhere there is a moist environment, 

they grow within 24 to 48 hours. 

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. Any water that remains as 

puddles over the tiles roofs is likely to seep 

into the slab over time, so puddles are to be 

avoided at all costs. 

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 

Roofs in Greece are Mostly white to reppel the 

Intensive UV rays 

54 55 


Malta Business Review AVIATION SMES 


Following discussions between Ryanair and 

the Maltese Government, Ryanair have 

just announced a major expansion of flight 

connections from Malta. This expansion will 

add twelve new routes operated by Ryanair 

starting from April 2018. 

This was announced during today’s press 

conference addressed by Minister for Tourism 

Konrad Mizzi and Ryanair Chief Commercial 

Officer David O’Brein. In order to operate 

these new and additional routes, Ryanair will 

be allocating an additional aircraft based in 

Malta. 

The additional routes will include the 

following destinations: 

• Aberdeen (Scotland) 

• Belfast (Ireland) 

• Gothenburg (Sweden) 

• Porto (Portugal) 

• Pescara (Italy) 

• Seville (Spain) 

• Tallinn (Estonia) 

• Naples (Italy) 

• Barcelona (Spain) 

• Bratislava (Slovakia) 

• Paris Beauvais (France) 

• Charleroi (Belgium) 

As from April 2018 Ryanair will start to operate 

twelve additional new routes. Air Malta and Ryanair in 

discussions on a future collaboration. 

Minister for Tourism Konrad Mizzi with Ryanair 

Minister Mizzi expressed his satisfaction on 

this major expansion, describing it as a ‘vote 

of confidence in Malta’s tourism sector.’ He 

said that this investment means that Ryanair 

is confident to expect further growth in the 

number of tourists coming to Malta in the 

coming years. 

Minister Mizzi explained that this 

complements the government’s vision to 

further increase Malta’s connectivity. 

Also speaking about Air Malta, Minister Mizzi 

and Mr O’Brein announced that Air Malta 

and Ryanair are in discussions about a future 

collaboration with each other. Ryanair and Air 

Malta are considering collaboration on sales 

and marketing initiatives, including leveraging 

Ryanair’s web presence for sales. 

The Minister thanked all key stakeholders 

involved, particularly the Malta Tourism 

Authority and the Malta International Airport, 

which were crucial to make this major 

investment happen. MBR 

Source: Ministry for Tourism/NSO; 

photo DOI James Borg 

Hurricane Irma has left behind a trail of 

unimaginable destruction. There truly is 

a momentous task ahead restoring the 

British Virgin Islands (BVI). People need 

help rebuilding their lives and there is an 

immediate and critical need for food, water 

and shelter. 

While we are incredibly thankful for everything 

being done to help the BVI communities, 

more help is needed. While many expats 

have left, the local people have nowhere to 

go. They need the world's attention now. This 

appeal is not for Necker and Moskito Island – 

it is about helping the local communities of 

the BVI with basic survival and recovery. 

When there’s a crisis, you really learn what 

people are like. Thanks to everyone who 

has shown their true colours by helping the 

BVI in any way they can. We now need to 

raise as much money as possible for the local 

community. If you would like to support this 

fundraising effort then please donate via 

Virgin Unite’s donation page. MBR 

Virgin Unite’s overheads are covered by 

Richard Branson and the Virgin Group, 

meaning that 100% of all donations received 

will go directly to helping support local BVI 

communities. 

SMEs are a priority for Government - 

Parliamentary Secretary Farrugia announces aid in the form of grants 

Parliamentary Secretary Dr Aaron Farrugia 

Parliamentary Secretary Dr Aaron Farrugia 

announced the launch of a further two calls 

under the Start-up Investment Grant Scheme 

and the SME Growth Grant Scheme. These 

are financial aid in the form of grants directly 

towards entrepreneurships in order to help 

them maximise their potential with direct 

investment. 

Farrugia noted that the Maltese Government 

aims to strengthen small and medium 

enterprises as these not only employ 

thousands of people, but also greatly benefit 

the Maltese economy. The Parliamentary 

Shipping has never been so personal with 

Attard Holdings. We can deliver anything 

to anywhere no matter the size or shape 

with new destinations together with our 

international network. Attard Holdings - 

leaders in shipping, transportation, 

customs and freight services. 

In collaboration with 

Secretary noted that these businesses have 

a lot of potential that sometimes gets lost 

because of lack of capital. Farrugia stated that 

“this aid is what the Maltese entrepreneurs’ 

need, in light of the challenges and limitations 

that one could have in a global economy.” 

The Schemes 

With an indicative allocation of 2 million euro 

Call 2 under the Start-up Investment Grant 

Scheme is aimed at providing assistance 

to micro and small enterprises established 

for less than three years through a grant to 

part-finance eligible expenditure in their 

productive investment. This Grant Scheme 

has an allocation of 7 million euro and eligible 

enterprises may be assisted by a maximum 

grant value of €300,000, part-financing up to 

50% of eligible expenditure. 

The call under the SME Growth Grant Scheme 

with an indicative allocation of 2 million 

euro shall seek to assist SMEs to respond to 

market demands by part-financing eligible 

expenditure on productive investment 

required in the implementation of their 

growth strategies related to the extension of 

the capacity of an existing establishment, or 

the setting up of a new establishment. This 

Grant Scheme has an allocation of 8 million 

euro and eligible enterprises may receive 

assistance up to a maximum grant value 

of €500,000 with aid intensity on eligible 

expenditure of 35% for micro and small 

enterprises and 25% for medium enterprises. 

These Grant Schemes are financed under 

Operational Programme I Cohesion Policy 

2014 – 2020. 

Both of these calls are competitive calls and 

applications for project proposals will be 

received up to noon of Friday, 20 October 

2017. MBR 

56 

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Mqabba Road, Ta' Kandja Limits of 

Siġġiewi SĠW 2606 

+356 2144 3031/2146 0427 

kevin@attardholdings.com.mt 

www.attardholdings.com.mt 


57


NEWSMAKERS 

“Manufacturing 

increasing its 

economic value” 

- Economy 

Minister Chris 

Cardona 

The Ministry for the Economy, Investment and 

Small Businesses highlights the manufacturing 

industry’s contribution towards the GDP 

growth registered by the national economy in 

the second quarter of 2017. 

As expected, the economy overall continues 

to grow at a staggering pace. Official statistics 

issued by the National Statistics Office show 

that when comparing this year’s quarter with 

last year’s, in real terms the economy grew at 

the real rate of 6.4%. 

It is worth noting that the manufacturing 

sector has performed well. When comparing 

Q2 2017 with Q2 2016, the Gross Value 

Added generated by the manufacturing 

sector at market prices increased by 6.1% (+ 

€ 11.7 million). 

Taking into consideration a wider timeframe 

comparing the first 6 months of 2017 with 

2016, the manufacturing sector at market 

prices grew also at a positive rate of 5.2%. 

Amongst other sub-sectors, aviation MRO 

(maritime, repair, and overhaul), and the 

manufacturing of electronic components 

were the best performers in the wider 

manufacturing industry. 

In comments after the NSO announcement 

on real GDP growth, Minister for the Economy 

Chris Cardona stated that the efforts by 

government bodies like Malta Enterprise and 

Malta Industrial Parks, and local operators 

alike were continuing to bear fruit. 

“While Malta’s avant-gardism as witnessed in 

the regulation of gaming and now even block 

chain will never waiver; high-added value 

manufacturing will always have a strategic 

value for our economy. The deep ripples in 

supply and support services that this industry 

provides are singular. This ministry in tandem 

with our entities Malta Enterprise and Malta 

Industrial Parks will progress our efforts 

to attract new companies but also sustain 

established operations and establish linkages. 

Reputable high added value manufacturing 

remains at the centre of what the Maltese 

industry stands for”, said Minister Chris 

Cardona. MBR 

Incentives for 

employers to invest 

in private pensions 

Minister for Finance Edward Scicluna 

launched a number of fiscal incentives aimed 

at employers and their employees to take up 

voluntary private pensions. These incentives 

were announced in this year’s budget. 

Minister Scicluna explained the benefits 

reaped by employers when they introduce 

such incentives for their employees. 

Employers will be in a position to retain their 

best talent within their organisations, offer 

better working conditions, and strenghten 

their position as ideal employers. 

While benefitting from tax credits, employers 

who introduce such schemes will be showing 

their committment in the future well-being of 

their employees. The tax credit being given to 

employers is capped at €150 per annum per 

employee. 

For the employees, the investment made 

by their employers on their behalf will not 

THE MINISTRY FOR JUSTICE, 

CULTURE AND LOCAL 

GOVERNMENT 

Second edition of the world’s largest 

photography competition launched in Malta 

The second edition of Wiki Loves Monuments, 

the Guinness World Record holder for the 

largest photography competition, is taking 

place again in Malta this year. The competition 

brings together photographers from around 

the world to take stunning pictures of our 

cultural heritage to be shared on Wikipedia. 

During a press conference, Minister for 

Justice, Culture and Local Government Owen 

Bonnici explained how this serves to raise 

awareness about cultural heritage in our 

communities which, despite not being as 

popular, is characterised of beautiful aspects 

that the photographer manages to capture. 

Speaking at the competition launch at the 

National Museum of Archaeology, Wikimedia 

Community Malta President, Tony Micallef 

explained that this year’s competition will 

be taking place in over 50 countries across 

six continents. Since the competition started 

be considered as a fringe benefit and will 

therefore be tax exempt. Employees are also 

being given the opportunity of investing their 

own funds in such schemes, whereby any 

such investment up to €1,000 per annum will 

carry a tax credit of €150. 

Minister Scicluna concluded by saying that 

fiscal incentives for voluntary private pension 

schemes are another boost to income during 

retirement. The recent issue of the 62+ 

Government Savings Bond had the same 

objective. These investments will augment 

the annual income of pensioners during their 

retirement. MBR 

in 2010, nearly 2 million photographs have 

been uploaded, with last year’s competition 

attracting over 277,000 submissions across 

42 countries. This is the second time that 

Malta will be participating. 

Spazju Kreattiv Chairman Rupert Cefai stated, 

“It is our interest to serve as a platform and 

catalyst for such projects and initiatives. As 

an integral project from the Spazju Kreattiv 

programme, Wiki Loves Monuments 

allows Spazju Kreattiv to serve the creative 

community, namely the photographers 

participating but also reaching out to other 

communities and strengthening their 

relationship with the local monuments in 

their respective settings”. 

The competition opens on September 1 and 

the deadline for submissions is September 30. 

A jury composed of experts within the field of 

cultural heritage, photography and Wikipedia 

will be selecting a number of winning entries. 

Submitted photos will also be exhibited at 

Spazju Kreattiv in Valletta (St James Cavallier) 

throughout November and December. Ten 

winning submissions will be nominated for 

the international Wiki Loves Monuments 

contest, with the opportunity to win further 

prizes. 

For more information on how to participate, 

visit www.wikimalta.org/WLM2017. Wiki 

Loves Monuments in Malta is organised 

by Wikimedia Community Malta (WCM) in 

collaboration with Spazju Kreattiv and Heritage 

Malta, and is sponsored by Photocity. MBR 

Source: The Ministry For Justice, Culture And Local 

Government/Doi 

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58

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