“I wonder how, I wonder why
Yesterday you told me ’bout the
Blue, blue sky
And all that I can see
Is just a yellow lemon tree…”
Earlier this week Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo paid a visit to the Institute of Tourism Studies (ITS). It was his first visit after being entrusted with this complex ministry. The above tune and lyrics should have been playing over the PA system during the time he spent there…
ITS senior management showed the Minister every corner of the Luqa institute. Except for the most important resource — the hard-working ITS lecturers, the people who form and prepare tomorrow’s hospitality industry.
This disregard for such a valuable asset has been felt for ages. And now problems within the institute are about to reach boiling point. Various alleged malpractices are being tolerated by the ITS management. (Further stories will be published in the coming days.)
ITS lecturers have long been forgotten by the Ministry as well as by their representative union, the MUT. Shame on the MUT for harassing and hounding lecturers who have joined the UPE. Such behaviour cannot and should not be tolerated in a democratic society that professes freedom of association.
The UPE has a vision for this prestigious educational institute. It is one of prosperity for lecturers to advance within the system, to have better work conditions, decent remuneration, fair progression and the elimination of unnecessary institutional bureaucracy.
We invite ITS lecturers to communicate with us if they have any queries on 99946582 or 21221252/6/8, or via email at info@upe.mt
