PN says ‘nothing’ done to improve tourism infrastructure, calls for COVID wage supplement extension

Nationalist Party Deputy Leader Robert Arrigo said the government has done “nearly nothing” to upgrade the infrastructure in tourist areas as he called for the COVID wage supplement to be extended to end March.

“In areas like Sliema, St Julian’s and St Paul’s Bay, little to nothing has been done to upgrade the infrastructure,” Arrigo said during a press conference on Thursday.

Arrigo said better spending by the MTA in touristic areas is required because they “have been forgotten during the past eight years.”

“We will come out of the pandemic with a lot of competition. If we don’t care for the country, we will face difficulties to attract tourists,” he said. “Public funds should be used responsibly and effectively, not on the select few.”

The PN also said government should extend the wage supplement scheme until March, while subsidies on water and electricity should be continued.

Arrigo insisted the industry was dependent on planning for the future and so a clear direction on what will happen in the coming months should be presented.