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James Debono
The development of two more golf courses is not an act of faith for Labour’s shadow minister on tourism, Evarist Bartolo.
With Labour leader Alfred Sant proposing Maghtab and Ta’ Cenc as ideal golf sites instead of the government’s proposal at Xaghra l-Hamra in Ghajn Tuffieha, his tourism spokesperson Evarist Bartolo has insisted any proposed golf site, including his leader’s two proposals, should first pass the tests of an environmental impact assessment and an economic feasibility study.
The consensus ‘shared’ between the two main parties on the need for two more golf course appears to be a shaky one indeed, following last Wednesday’s business breakfast organised by MediaToday at the SAS Radisson in St George’s Bay.
That shaky consensus appeared ignored by Tourism Minister Francis Zammit Dimech, who reiterated after Bartolo’s speech that agreement between the two parties was the best argument for golf courses.
But this is not the only point of contrast between the government and opposition. Unlike the government, Bartolo does not include the development of holiday villas in the golf viability equation. According to the Xaghra l-Hamra golf projection description, the development can be rendered viable through the construction of residential development.
“In large countries where distances between golf courses and hotels are considerable, a stand alone golf course does not make economic sense. But in a small country where distances are minimal the existing stock of hotels is enough to cater for golfers,” Bartolo said.
The Labour MP added an economic feasibility study should measure the viability of a stand-alone golf course without accompanying villas or other speculative development.
Labour on golf
Although adamantly against a golf course in Xaghra il-Hamra, Opposition leader Alfred Sant has declared being in favour of Malta having three golf courses – one in Ta’ Cenc in Gozo, and one in the Maghtab area, along with the existing Marsa golf course.
Despite his leader’s favourable stand in favour of more golf, running in tandem with present government policy, tourism spokesperson Evarist Bartolo last week questioned the economic viability of golf courses in general.
“Let’s not turn this issue in an ideological one. Believing in golf is not like believing in God,” Bartolo said during the MediaToday business breakfast.
Bartolo insisted that not any golf proposal is a guaranteed success, “including those mentioned by the MLP”, he said about Sant’s proposals.
The MP in fact burst the golf bubble in his speech, quoting figures showing that after the 1980s’ UK golf frenzy, some 90 per cent of all golf courses in England had gone bankrupt. He also questioned the current golf frenzy in south-western Europe, calling on the government not to rely on the gut feeling of entrepreneurs: “Many entrepreneurs have plunged in to financially non viable projects.”
He rallied behind Sant’s own conviction that golf courses did not require any accompanying residential development to make them feasible. Real estate entrepreneur Frank Salt made the same observation during his speech.
But unlike Bartolo, Salt contends that some residential development would be required in order to recoup the cost of development, which according to the secretary of the Marsa Golf Club, Tony Bonello, could cost up to Lm7 million.
Bartolo said he expected developers to recoup the amount invested exclusively from golf rounds.
He also said the economic feasibility of each site depends on its location: “The Xaghra l-Hamra site would require more money for the simple reason the terrain is not ideal for golf course development.”
Bartolo challenged government to state its agenda: “Are we talking about developing a golf course or are we using the development of a golf courses as a pretext for the development of villas for speculation?”
Drawing on the golf frenzy in southern Europe, Bartolo emphasised that circumstances in Malta are different from those in Spain, Portugal, Greece and Cyprus: “These golf courses are increasingly relying on the local market to make golf feasible. In Malta our population is too small to generate a local market.”
Bartolo also pointed out countries like Spain and Portugal which have large communities of British expats that play golf. Bartolo Said generic claims like the one made by the Malta Tourism Authority that golf would generate 30,000 extra tourists has so far never been substantiated.
jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt
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