Aqra bil-Malti
A second-hand sailing boat bought by the government for half a million euro to be used for international sailing competitions has been left idle for 18 months as it is still “being upgraded”, The Shift is informed.
The boat was inaugurated in December 2022. During a lavish ceremony at Marsa’s Malta Maritime Hub, Sports Minister Clifton Grima said the investment would create opportunities for Maltese sailors to compete in prestigious races overseas.
Yet a year and a half later, sources close to the Malta Sailing Federation told The Shift that the boat had not yet participated in a single race and had been left unused for months as tens of thousands were being spent to upgrade it for racing requirements.
The Cookson 50, named ‘Viva Malta’, was acquired by Yachting Malta Ltd – a government private-public partnership with the Malta Sailing Federation. No details were ever given about the seller of the second-hand boat or if any intermediary agents were involved in the sale.
‘Viva Malta’ berthed at Msida Creek.
While attending a parliamentary sitting of the Public Accounts Committee last week, Yachting Malta chairman and Labour MP Chris Agius and CEO Michael Mifsud (who is also the President of the Malta Sailing Federation) said the boat was still not being used, but training was about to start.
As he was being questioned by PN MPs Graham Bencini and David Agius, Mifsud admitted that this project had taken too long to get off the ground but promised that Yachting Malta intended to compete in at least one race by the end of this year.
According to Mifsud, the boat needed upgrading, which was taking time. It is as yet unclear how much the upgrading of the sailing boat has already cost taxpayers.
Mifsud also said that Yachting Malta would invest a further €150,000 a year in state funds for training and yearly participation in overseas races.
‘Viva Malta’ will have a crew of 12, but they have yet to start training to man the sailing boat.
SportMalta, the government entity entrusted to manage Maltese sports, is supposed to manage the new €500,000 boat investment.
Yet another great example of a ministry whose only scope is to get control of the running of amateur sports organisations.
The 500,000 euro boat is named “ Viva Malta”.. why not “ Malta Taghna ‘Llkoll”?? After all it belongs to us all yes?!
“Marie Celeste” comes to mind. Abandoned, and no crew ever found.
MM, another staunch PL supporter with very strong connections. It’s not who you know but what you know. Did I get it the wrong way round?
The minister should find some balls and support the Yacht Club Sailing School held hostage by a defunct organisation just because someone wants to open a restaurant under the guise of a playing field
They really know so many different ways to rip off the Maltese.
Only God knows who benefitted from this shady deal !!
Can Mr Mifsud tell us what the upgrading consists of as in equipment to start off. Has the boat, left left on the hard for so long detiorated? And why was the boat bought for half a million for racing not factored as to what upgrading it would require?
L-aqwa li l-bazuzlu l iehor Jason Busuttil li minn cameraman u direttur tal-programmi sab il-business acumen taht il-Labour, jkun jista jibqa jdahhal kull darba li xi entita u ministeru juzaw il-fireworks – halli l-mara tieghu u hu jkunu jistghu jaffordjaw hwejjeg tad-ditta li jhobbu l-laburisti. That is an entire investigation waiting to happen – just ask how much has ActFX received in payments from the entire public service – spanning from the Office of the President alllll the way down to the tiniest authority.
My feeling is that it could not float and they need to build a new hull.
It seems they havent found the right person to manage the boat. And tthe right red captains to captain it and the right red crew. The boat has been ready for a long time. Yachting Malta is a JV between the government and the Yacht Club, but all that happens there is Govt.controlled. The many good sailors Malta possesses will be sidelined because of the red tinted specs worn by the CEO, who is also the Chairman of the Sailing Federation. Now isnt that a conflict of interest?
Are there crooks in Sailing Malta too
Another vanity project. No sense of proportion or of priorities. They should get film commissioner Johan Grech to chip in: he has millions to spare and this boat will be up and going in no time.