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An open letter to the political leaders of Malta
Ladies and Gentlemen,
May I draw your attention to the fact that the International Rugby Board sent a television crew to Malta to film the World Cup Qualifying match, Malta vs Serbia-Montenegro that took place yesterday. The Malta Rugby Football Union and Maltese TV stations will provide further footage and the IRB will produce a programme ‘Total Rugby’, which will be distributed to every rugby playing nation in the world.
This means there will be TV coverage in well over a hundred countries, great and small. This initiative is obviously of considerable advantage in promoting Malta's worldwide image. Has any other sport ever achieved such coverage for Malta?
It must benefit Malta’s tourism and commerce, and increase ‘Malta Consciousness.’
The MRFU Public Relations Officer has been working on this for several months now, with the intention of boosting Maltese rugby and promoting Malta, and is extremely pleased with the outcome.
Indeed Rugby, the world’s fastest growing sport, makes other serious contributions to the wellbeing of Malta.
For instance, through the efforts of the MRFU Council, Malta is now becoming an increasingly popular venue for touring rugby teams. Each team brings between 20 and 40 individuals who spend anything between Lm150 and Lm400 each during their stay. As five teams have visited this year so far, somewhere between Lm50,000 and Lm80,000 of valuable hard currency has been injected into Malta’s economy.
A nine team international tournament is scheduled shortly, and two further similar events are scheduled for later in 2005.
Annual income for rugby tourism of over Lm300,000 is not unrealistic - a major contribution to Malta’s economic well-being.
Furthermore it has been an uplifting and sometimes moving experience to witness the return of Maltese sportsmen from around the world to play in and for their country of origin and heritage. They have been so proud to express and represent their heritage and in some cases to re-discover their heritage through Rugby. This must also strengthen awareness about Malta throughout the world.
The Malta National Rugby Team was recently voted ‘Team of the Year 2004’, and I am sure, with the Council and players of the MRFU, will continue to work tirelessly to promote their sport and the interests of Malta as best it can.
No doubt the MRFU will be happy to continue working alongside our colleagues in sport at the Malta Olympic Committee and the Malta Council for Sport to make a significant contribution to the wealth, sporting achievement, education, health and international recognition and reputation of Malta.
In order to maximize this, stable and improved facilities are needed.
So Ladies and Gentlemen, I leave you with these positive thoughts for the future of Malta and of Rugby.
Michael John Turner
PRO
MRFU
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