Agriculture and fisheries to get their own minister – Muscat

Meeting fishermen in Marsaxlokk, Labour leader Joseph Muscat said that a Labour government would appoint a minister with the sole responsibility of taking care of the agriculture and fisheries portfolio.

"The strategic mistake of this government had been to place agriculture and fisheries within a ministry with a vast portfolio, with the result that these two sectors were given little importance.

"A Labour government would appoint a person to be politically responsible of these sectors, with the commitment to meet with the cooperatives once a month," Muscat said this morning.

The press was not allowed to cover the question and answer session between the fishermen and Muscat but was only allowed to cover the introductory speeches made by Muscat, the president of the Ghaqda Koperattiva tas- Sajd Joe Demicoli and Ray Bugeja, president of the Ghaqda Koperattiva Nazzjonali tas-Sajd.

Muscat made it "clear" that anything which a Labour government would do with regards to fisheries had to be in conformity with European Union legislation. "Most of the policies are determined by the European Union and anything which we discuss today must thus conform. Every government has a limited say on the issue," he insisted.

However, he added that a Labour government would be committed to give the fishermen all the available funds to help them grow and prosper. "If there are any funds which could be used, we will use them to help you expand your business and not to close shop," he said.

Muscat said a Labour government would set up a consultative board which would also form part of Malta's representation in the EU.

"Government would need your help and that of your representatives to be able to fight for your rights. The board would also be meeting with the responsible minister once a month to discuss the necessary issues to arise and keep abreast with government's work," he said.

Muscat said this was necessarily due to the continuous changing legislation and introduction of new EU law in this sector.

Muscat also pledged that when a close season would be forced on the Maltese fishermen, a Labour government's principle would be to compensate the fishermen. "And we are committed to see that this principle is honoured," he said.

With regards to the hard standing facility, Muscat said a Labour government was prepared to hand it out over to the fishermen but would have first to see what the agreement with the European Union was. He explained, that given that the hard standing facility was built through EU funds, it belonged to government. He said that a Labour government would have to see whether it was possible to issue an expression of interest to be transferred to the fishermen.

On his part, Ray Bugeja lamented over the lack of cooperation the fishermen faced from Rural Affairs Minsiter George Pullicino and complained that the industry "faced a storm which was imposed by the person who is responsible of seeing it moved forward".

Bugeja said there was a lack of serious dialogue on government's part, mismanagment and "organised disorganization". Bugeja also said that Malta risked losing its 25 nautical miles fishing management zone which the European Union had granted to Malta to manage.