Mr Paul Mifsud B.A. (Hons) Accty., MIA, Dip. Tax is an independent Certified Public Accountant (CPA) based in Mellieha, Malta. Establishing himself as an independent CPA in January 2007, Paul Mifsud operates from his offices in Mellieha, providing professional accountancy services to Maltese and international clients including audit and assurance, taxation, secretarial, VAT consulting, ICT assistance and payroll services.

Paul Mifsud has gained extensive experience from his work with clients from the public to private and industrial sectors in Malta. His consultancy services focus on respect and honesty, delivering a personal and integral service in human resources, ICT, business restructuring and cash flow management. His work begins with the assessing of the project and the sector it involves, to investigative analysis, regular support and assessments as well as future assistance in the financial needs and achievements of all his clients.

Malta is a small island in the centre of the Mediterranean Sea, about 90 kilometres South of the island of Sicily. Covering just over 316 square kilometres, Malta is one of Europe’s smallest states, yet is also one of the most densely populated, having a population of just over 452,515 (2011 estimate).

The British make up for a large percentage of the 1.2 million tourists who visit the island every year, and British nationals residing permanently on the island make up about 1.6% of the population (the Maltese account for 95.3% and the remaining 3% various nationalities).

Malta is characterised by a low lying and rugged terrain dispersed with areas of scrubland. It has an intricate coastline of rocky beaches, sandy beaches and fantastic natural harbours which have allowed Malta to serve as a maritime base, military base and trade route for many centuries. Typically Mediterranean, Malta boasts a glorious year round climate, with an average annual temperature of 23°C during the day.

Malta has been populated for approximately 7,000 years, and has seen numerous empires from the Arabs and Carthaginians to the Knights of the Order of St. John, the Spanish, French and British land on its shores. Due to its strategic location in the centre of the Mediterranean Sea, Malta was the ideal destination for seafaring traders and settlers, and today enjoys a rich heritage and culture that reflects its lengthy history.

Malta gained Independence from the United Kingdom on 21^st September 1964, and assumed Neutrality in 1980. After joining the European Union in 2004, Malta adopted the Euro as its currency instead of the Maltese Liri, and following the European Council of 21^st-22^nd June 2007 became part of the Eurozone in 2008.

Today, Malta is a thriving modern island, well connected via air and sea, with its own International Airport, airline and Seaport. The country is a parliamentary democracy, has two official languages (Maltese and English), and offers free and private education and healthcare services.

Malta is an advanced economy, dependant on foreign trade, manufacturing and the tourism industry. The 1869 opening of the Suez Canal greatly boosted the country’s economy, and resulted in a huge increase in shipping entering the port.

The Maltese government invests highly in education and healthcare, offering some of the best services in Europe. Education is based on the British model, in which children go to Primary school for six years, and then enter a secondary school at aged eleven. School is compulsory up until the age of sixteen, after which students may continue studying at various sixth form colleges before applying for University.

Malta is highly renowned as a popular destination for tourists from across the world, thanks to its stunning climate, beautiful beaches and rich history. Malta boasts numerous UNESCO World Heritage Sites (including its capital city, Valletta) and also offers a vast array of water sports activities, diving and recreation centres, nightlife areas and natural beauty spots.

Main Economic Indicators

• Registered unemployed (as of January 2012): 6,714 persons

• Labour supply (as at 2nd quarter 2011): 354,645

• Persons Employed in Financial Intermediation as at November, 2011: 6,542

• Average gross annual salary for employees in Financial Intermediation as at November, 2011: €46,810

• GDP at current prices (annual 2011) (€ millions): 6,393.2

• GDP at constant prices (annual 2011) (€ millions): 4,792.7

• Inflation rate 2010 (12-month moving average): 2.0%

• Merchandise exports (annual 2011) (€ millions): 3,739.6

• Goods and Services exports (as at 3rd quarter 2011) (€ millions): 1,595

• Merchandise imports (annual 2011) (€ millions): 5,271.1

• Goods and Services imports (as at 3rd quarter 2011) (€ millions): 1,397.1

• Internet users (2010): 245,480 (persons aged between 16-74)

Mellieha is the beautiful and idyllic village located in the most north-western corner of the island of Malta, just across the bay from the sister islands of Gozo and Comino. Mellieha boasts a population of approximately 7,000 and is the destination of choice for sun seekers, beach and water sports lovers, as well as hosting a vast number of ex-patriot residents.

The area of Mellieha is a relatively new locality in the state that it exists today. Before development and leasing of the land during the British rule, Mellieha was a small settlement that had been all but abandoned for 200 years previously, for fear of attacks from corsairs and Saracens. Today, Mellieha is a thriving modern town that is self-sufficient and increasingly popular as both a pleasure and business destination.

Bordering St. Paul’s Bay and Mgarr, Mellieha comprises of 22.6 square kilometres of hillside and low lying land sloping towards the beach. The area is sparsely populated, with stretches of flat scrubland and farmland between the settlements.

The locality, including Manikata, Cirkewwa, Ghajn Tuffieha, Paradise Bay, Anchor Bay and Marfa, was voted as European Destination of Excellence in 2009 for the promotion of Tourism and Protected areas. Mellieha offers a host of benefits to its residents, including Malta’s longest sandy beach at Ghadira, a range of stylish hotels and guesthouses. Mellieha boasts a historical town centre, characterised by narrow roads, traditional townhouses and stepped alleys, whilst the suburbs are characterised by large luxurious villas with their own private pools.

Mellieha is also home to many of the islands top facilities and nightlife and entertainment area. The town centre is equipped with retail shops, banks, pharmacies, fine dining and casual restaurants, and in the locality one can also find pet shops, supermarkets, garden centres, care homes, schools, music schools, scuba diving schools and facilities, water sports centres, internet cafes, bars and even nature reserves, in which many protected and rare bird species can be observed.

In terms of history, Mellieha offers a wide range of fortifications built over the last few centuries, including towers, pillboxes and even a fort. The area was always vulnerable to attack thanks to its northern location and ease of access from the beach, and so it was always necessary for the area to be well defending in case of attacks.

This coastal region is a fertile paradise throughout the seasons, and whether in spring or summer, Mellieha has a rich array of natural beauty to be adored, from wildlife and breath taking sunsets to sun-drenched beaches and cool morning breezes.

For those tourists and residents looking for the religious culture of the island, the town of Mellieha annually hosts one of Malta’s finest villages ‘festas’; a week long spectacle of traditional music, religious celebrations, and spectacular fireworks displays over the cliffs. Every year on the 8^th September Mellieha celebrates the feast of Our Lady of Victories, commemorating the overthrow of the Ottoman Empire during the Great Siege of 1565.