Interview with the CEO
Professional Background?
I’m a technical graduate by profession with over 20 years experience in industry having worked all the way up to managerial posts within a major international manufacturing firm based in Malta. My background in operations excellence (Kaizen) and my various dealings with a diversified portfolio of international clients across the years have enabled me to develop a strong
understanding of industry-related issues.
Your previous employment before becoming the MEZF CEO was in Mriehel. How is this relevant to your new position?
Throught all these years working in Mriehel, I recognise and understand the issues that it is currently facing. This will for sure help me in understanding better the needs required to improve the zone.
What future do you envisage for MEZF and Mriehel?
With the help of the founding members I envisage that Mriehel will become an enterprise zone in the coming years. As a Foundation we are embarking on short, medium and long term plans to do so.
Why is MEZF needed?
The Foundation is a key player in order to make sure that all the necessary projects identified are being carried out and followed up. Throughout the years Mriehel was a no man’s land. Now, the Foundation will make sure that this area will be transformed from an Industrial Area into an Enterprise Zone.
186 tonnes of waste were collected in the recent cleanup of the Mriehel Zone. Will this be a one off?
This was the first project for the foundation thanks to the Cleansing Department. We are now working on a plan together with this department to carry out a pilot project with regards to cleaning. This will include door to door / bulk waste, sweeping and street washing
IS THERE A ROLE FOR SMALLER PLAYERS IN THE FOUNDATION AND IN MRIEHEL AT LARGE? HOW CAN ONE JOIN THE MEZF?
There is a role for all those who like us, envision a better Mriehel. At the moment we are working on an endowment scheme which will hopefully be launched by the end of this year. This will include different schemes for different operators who would like to join the Foundation.
What will be the role of MEZF in the drawing up of a long term master plan for the Mriehel Zone?
The Foundation will be an important consultee in this critical project which will be led by the Planning Authority.
What are your hobbies and interests?
My hobbies are football due to all my years in this sport, reading and travelling. Besides that I enjoy meeting people, making local and international contacts.
Update of Priority Projects
The Mriehel Enterprise Zone Foundation acknowledges that the only way to ensure that all waste is disposed of as should is to implement systems that provide efficient waste collection to all operators in the zone.
At present Mriehel has no structured service for waste collection. The Foundation is holding discussions with the Directorate of Cleansing in order to pilot a project that can better service the business community. This project will help to identify and categorise the type and quantity, in weight of waste produced within the zone, together with all related costs. Details of this pilot project will be announced in future newsletters.
One urgent upgrade needed in the road network within Mriehel is lighting. This is not just being proposed for an aesthetic upgrade but also to provide a feeling of security amongst operators and employees in the zone. Discussion are underway between the Foundation, Enemalta and the Sustainable Energy and Water Conservation Unit (SEWCU), to attain the best solution towards this problem. A Public Private Partnership (PPP) is being considered as one of the solutions, leading to implement street lighting systems that are operated by technologies that have little impact on the environment.
A branding project has been initiated by the Foundation in order to give the zone an identity to which businesses operating in the area can identify to. A number of commercial areas today have consolidated all operations under a brand concept. Mosta Technopark and Smart City are two examples of this. Mriehel hosts a number of businesses and organisations spanning over a number of industries that include banks, Authorities and other financial services operators. In this respect, the Foundation feels that the Mriehel Industrial Zone needs to change its image to reflect these changes.
The Foundation is meeting private landowners and car park operators in an effort to establish temporary car parks
Mriehel is not alien to transport issues that afflict the country. The Foundation has identified this issue as a major obstacle and is a peril to employers and employees who work in Mriehel. The Foundation also understands that in order to alleviate traffic congestion, and therefore improving traffic flow, an effort is to be made to reduce cars parked on the road. The Foundation is meeting private landowners and car park operators in an effort to establish temporary car parks that will provide safe parking and alleviate the number of cars on the roads. Project Plus was engaged by the Foundation to provide assistance on street repairs and patching, traffic signs and other initiatives.
A study was conducted to identify all business operators within Mriehel. This exercise is if utmost importance as it will give the Foundation insight of all operations within the area. Another study was carried out on public services provided in the area in order to increase efficiency. The results of these surveys will be published in due course.
