Page 51 - World Airnews Magazine January 2021 Edition
P. 51

NEWS DIGITAL


                                    MALTA’S AVIATION ADVISORY


                                    COMMITTEE



                                                              Photos and words by Chris Cauchi


                                                                                         Karmenu Vella also took time
                                                                                        to address the press, whereby
                                                             Karmenu Vella has been     he explained that the terms of
                                                              appointed chairman of the   reference limit the committee
                                                              Malta Aviation Advisory   to an advisory role with the
                                                              Committee by Minister for   minister always having the final
                                                                                        say on all proceedings.
                                                              Transport, Infrastructure and   The newly appointed
                                                              Capital Projects Dr Ian Borg.   chairman revealed that there
                                                               In his introduction Minister   are a number of initiatives
                                                              Borg praised Karmenu Vella   on the table including the
                                                              for his excellent leadership   setting up of a school for air
                                                              qualities and said that the ex-  traffic controllers as well as
                                                              EU commissioner is held in high   new niches in the market which
                                                              esteem by all those involved in   need to be explored.
                                                              the local aviation industry.   He explicitly mentioned re-
                                                               The advisory committee is   covery and recycling of aircraft
                                                              made up of a mix of aviation   which is increasingly becoming
                                                              specialists, stakeholders   an important element within
                                                              and Maltese experts in the   the industry.  When asked by
                                                              aeronautical field.       MAviO news about his two
                                                               Among those sitting on the   main priorities during his first
                                                              newly formed committee,   100 days in office he identified
                                                              are some well-known faces   the setting up of a stakeholders
                                                              including the CEO of INDIS Karl   forum and working on a new
                                                              Azzopardi, Malta Enterprise   aviation policy as being his top
                                                              investment promotion manager   goals.
                                                              Anthony David Gatt, aviation   He explained his priorities
                                                              and tourism consultant Joseph   and shed new light on two
                                                              Galea and the CEO of Malta   crucial reports commissioned
                  ABOVE: Ex-EU Commissioner Karmenu Vella being   Air Traffic Services Dr. Ing. Karl   by Minister Ian Borg. The first
             interviewed as he outlines his plans for his first 100 days   Chircop.     report focuses on the economic
             in office as chairman of the Aviation Advisory Committee  Minister Borg emphasised the   impact that the aviation sector
                                                              need for synergy between all   has on the Maltese economy
                                                              those involved in the Maltese   while the second report will
                                                              aviation sector.          focus on completing an HR
                                                               He stressed that we cannot   audit.
                                                              have eight different policies   The meeting was open to
                                                              being dished out by different   the press during the first 20
                                                              government entities and all   minutes before continuing
                                                              targeting aviation.       behind closed doors. Q
















                 ABOVE: Some well-known faces in Maltese aviation
                      circles form part of the AAC. They include the   Ex-EU Commissioner Karmenu Vella (2nd from right)
                  Chief Executive Officer of INDIS Karl Azzopardi (1st   is seen chairing the first Aviation Advisory Committee
                   from right) as well as the CEO of Malta Air Traffic   flanked by Minister for Transport, Infrastructure
                    Services Dr Ing Kenneth Chircop (3rd from right).  and Capital Projects (3rd from right) Dr Ian Borg


                                                  World Airnews | January Extra 2021
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