Chamber of SMEs claims tourist boat operators discriminated against

Tourist boat operators have been forced to pay "tens of thousands of euros" in licensing fees despite a shortage of tourists, the Chamber of SMEs said on Tuesday.

The Chamber said the boat operators were just as hard-hit by COVID-19 as any other sector that relied on tourism.

The Malta Tourism Authority waved licence fees for entities that fell under its remit, but Transport Malta has not done the same.

The Chamber said that operators' pleas to reduce or waive fees were ignored and the regulator was even issuing penalties for late payments.

“The government is adopting a very unfair and discriminatory approach depending on which entity is regulating the sector,” the Chamber said.

“While on the one hand they have been given some basic help that is passed on immediately to their employees in the form of the wage supplement, the government ends up taking much more from them by still asking them to pay tens of thousands of euros in licensing to Transport Malta to operate,” it continued.

The Chamber said the issue has been raised with the Prime Minister and Transport Minister. It also said it would not "exclude taking further action to safeguard the survival of its members should this situation not improve”".

"This matter is currently in front of the Prime Minister and the Minister responsible for Transport Malta. The Chamber of SMEs does not exclude taking further action to safeguard the survival of its members should this situation not improve," the Chamber said.