The British Services sector in Malta, 1946-1979

Abstract

Malta's recent experience in economic development has widely demonstrated that the Islands' road to economic self-determination demands an 'evaluation of the assets of the community, the opportunity for exploiting them and the obstacles to such exploitation. 1) This requires not only a quantitative and qualitative approach to estimate these resources but especially a 'sectoral' analysis of the Maltese economy whereby the potential contribution by each sector to the whole economic structure is scientifically analysed. Economic forecasting requires the setting up of trends and the time element must therefore be treated as a continuum for the assessment and allocation of these economic resources. A sector which played a crucial role in the economic structure of the Maltese Islands has been undoubtedly the United Kingdom Service Establishments. Apart from the reports by foreign experts who commented on the role played by the U.K. Service Departments (UKSD) in the Maltese economy there has been no effort so far to establish the role of the UKSD in the Maltese economy. This is a subject greatly debated on the local scene by politicians although it has never been researched, let alone scientifically analysed by academics.