Category: Archive – 2010

Over 10 years ago GRTU launched a campaign on the theme ‘Keep Sunday Special'. GRTU as the national organization in Malta representing shop owners and service providers, most of them being family run business, tried to convey the message to the Maltese community in general that, unless absolutely necessary, Sunday should be recognized as Family Day.

 

GRTU does not look at the issue from a religious point of view even though many in the past accused the Director General of trying to impose the law of Moses on the Maltese. Many GRTU members, however, often expressed their general concern that they already work a 6 day week as most shops and service providers are obliged to do and open on a 6 day week in many areas (tourist areas) for most of the year. They also work extended hours and they complain that they could hardly have a day with their family as complication causes them to grab every hour available.

Sunday for Malta is the special Family day not by design of GRTU but as a result of our Christian heritage. It could have been Friday or Saturday if the religion was different. Families where both parents work and families with siblings that work have no real family day if all of them are on leave/holiday on different days of the week. What family would it be if they are never home on the same day? When the Keep Sunday Special Campaign was intensive GRTU had also joined a European Action Group on this issue and the Group successfully lobbied for a resolution in the European Parliament in favour of Keeping Sunday Special.

Many seem to have forgotten what had happened then, GRTU and it's Director General, Vince Farrugia where vilified and shamelessly attacked in popular programmes like Xarabank, on numerous radio programmes and in the media, of the right and the left, with hardly any support for GRTU's courageous  stand. Even the Trade Unions and those who ought to know better turned against GRTU arguing consumer rights to shop on Sundays. Faced with this kind of opposition GRTU in agreement with the then Parliamentary Secretary responsible for Small Business, the Hon Edwin Vassallo, decided on a step approach effectively giving in to the strong opposition. GRTU called for numerous meetings of retailers and service providers so that we identified who where these firms that wanted to open on a Sunday and those who rejected the whole concept. Changes where introduced in the shops Opening Hours Act so that practically we now have a situation where those who don't want to open on a Sunday are not forced to open and most of those who want to open are allowed to open. But the emphasis is on the word ‘most'. There are still a number of alley shopping outlets that have invested millions of Euros who have restrictive operating hours and are being forced to pay €700 per shop to open on Sunday and Public Holidays. They also have great problems when Public Holidays fall during mid-week and shopping alleys and the bigger stores wants to open to serve consumers.

The situation now therefore is that the law is discriminating between businesses: those who can open because they happen to be located in tourist areas and others that cannot because they are located elsewhere and between those who sell one range of products against others who sell a range of products. There is gross discrimination as some open irrespective of the prohibition while the law-abiding stay closed and the law has become a farce. Many still believe that in Malta we have a ‘nanny' state. The ‘nanny' state that under the threat of law and fines holds licences from operating. GRTU recognizes that times have changed and that the battle to keep ‘Sunday Special' has been effectively lost. GRTU says this begrudgingly, but shop-owners must face the realities of our times. After the floodgates where opened under the pressure of all unti-GRTU crusaders it is now, practically impossible for Government to bring back new Sunday restrictions. It is indeed unfair that one business licence is restrictive and another is not. On the open market the value of a business highly depends on a type of licence a business carries. The lesser the restrictions under the terms of licence and at law the higher the value of the licence and the higher the value of the business. GRTU's attitude today is similar to that of EuroCommerce, the Pan-European Federation of national retailers` organisations to which GRTU belongs.

GRTU in agreement with Government experimented in one particular geographical area with full liberalisation of Sunday Trading. Gozo today has no restrictions whatsoever. What happened in Gozo is a lesson in practical politics: those who want to open on a Sunday open, while those who want to Keep Sunday Special do so and stay closed. There was no earthquake in Gozo when this reform was introduced. The situation is now that what is available in Gozo is not available in Malta. The truth, however, is that no one in Malta is forced to work on a Sunday except pharmacies on a Sunday roster. Many other shops are, however, prohibited from opening. Many again are raising this issue of Sunday restrictions and campaigning for prohibition. Unfortunately Parliamentary Secretary Dr. Jason Azzopardi has fallen in their trap, believing that he can somehow bring back Sunday restrictive practices. GRTU argues that now it is too late to turn the clock back. We trust that Dr Jason Azzopardi, the highly practical and honest politician that he is, will recognise that this is one can of worms worth keeping covered. GRTU today believes that the campaign should be geared towards educating business owners to enjoy Sunday with their families rather then be pressured to open. GRTU today strives to educate members that money and profit is not an end in itself but a means to better quality of life to yourself and your family, to your employees and their family to enjoy their Sunday. But not under the force of law but as an individual choice.

GRTU insists that now it's a case of educating people and not making in positions by law.

September 1, 2010 marked the entry into force of a new agreement governing the wine trade between Australia and the EU. It replaces an earlier one signed in 1994. The new agreement safeguards the EU's wine labelling regime, gives full protection to EU geographical indications, and includes a clear Australian commitment to protect EU traditional expressions. It also provides for the phasing out of the use of a number of important EU names such as Champagne and Port on Australian wines by September 1, 2011. In 2009, EU wine exports to Australia were worth €68 million and Australian exports to the EU were worth €643 million.  Source: MEUSACnews

 

The Culture Programme is often the subject of a series of more or less founded misunderstandings. It often happens that potential applicants do not apply for funds from this programme and do not even give it a try. Why does this happen, when a lot of work that could be eligible for funding is already being done?

 

One plausible assumption could be this: participation in an EU funding scheme is perceived as something beyond the organisation's capabilities, as an overwhelming bureaucratic and administrative burden. In brief, EU-funded projects are seen as something the be left for stronger operators from bigger European countries, especially in the field of culture. It is our intention to show how this misconception is often ill-founded. Obviously, we do not mean that the Culture Programme is a walk in the park: the activities proposed in a project must meet high quality criteria, since amateurism is not an asset here. However, the scenario is less pessimistic than the one usually portrayed. First of all, it is important to distinguish between two different ways for applying for the Culture Programme.

An organisation can act in the project either as a project leader or as a coorganiser. Naturally, the project leader would be the one with most responsibilities and involvement. On the one hand, it is the leader's responsibility to propose and shape the project idea for which (s)he will look for interested partners; (s)he has the overall control on the project and its content. On the other hand, it is the project leader's duty to work on the application and to take care of all the administrative and bureaucratic work.

A project co-organiser joins already-established project consortia that may prove interesting and relevant. (S)he does not have the overall control of the project idea, but at the same time the required administrative commitment is not demanding at all (s)he only has to provide a few documents showing the status of his/her organisation and to sign a mandate in which the legal and financial responsibility is delegated to the project leader.

The Culture Programme is a 50% co-financing scheme in which half of the budget has to be secured by the applicants from their own resources or through sponsorships or other sources. At times this is perceived as an insurmountable obstacle in itself.

Cooperation makes all the difference in this aspect. A Culture project must involve organisations from at least three European countries,. Together they must fork out 50% of the project budget. Usually the project leader, having the overall control over the project, will contribute a more substantial percentage (let's say 20% out of 50%). In so doing, the other partners (at least two, but they could be even more) will have to share only the remaining 30%. Thus, by forking out 15, a co-organiser will participate in a project that is worth 100.

Cooperation on the national level could prove very useful as well. If, for instance, a number of local councils come together in the preparation of a project and apply together, they will not only join their resources and their structures, but will also shoulder the co-financing percentage among themselves, reducing the financial load significantly.

The Cultural Contact Point is there to make the application procedure smoother for potential beneficiaries and to maximise operators' access to funds.

Indeed, it is their duty to follow applicants step-by-step throughout the whole process, assisting them all the way from the partner search to the enhancement of the European dimension of their proposal.

For more information contact the Cultural Contact Point: Cultural Contact Point, Culture and Audiovisual Unit, Auberge D'Italie, Merchants Street, VLT1170 Valletta, Email: , T: 2291 5081 ; 2291 5049

Source: Funding 4 yEU (MEUSAC)

The RAPEX system is the EU's rapid alert system for dangerous consumer products. However, food, pharmaceutical and medical devices are not monitored under this system. The information received by the Commission is disseminated to all the other National Contact Points. RAPEX thereby supports the Commission's ongoing EU Consumer Policy Strategy 2007 – 2013. One of the main goals of the strategy is to boost consumer confidence in the internal market. On a weekly basis overviews about unsafe products and the measures taken to eliminate the risks are posted on the internet.

 

During the last two years Malta had reported 31 products to the RAPEX system. These were detected by market surveillance officials. The products were present on the Maltese market and posed a serious risk to the health and safety of consumers. Last April, EU Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy John Dalli, had stated that, throughout Europe, the trend of notifying dangerous products rose significantly, by 7%, compared to the previous year. Identified products are usually withdrawn from the market or recalled from consumers. Warnings are also issued. Economic operators face the costs incurred following recall of a product as well as loss of reputation, when proper risk management and risk monitoring could have prevented the situation from occurring. Closer scrutiny and testing, and the necessary safety information must be passed along to the consumers.

The National Contact Point in Malta is: Malta Standards Authority – Mr Michael Cassar / Ms Shirley Mifsud Tel. +356 23952000 The latest notifications can be viewed on: http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/dyna/rapex/rapex_archives_en.cfm

Il-GRTU ircevit il-komunikazzjoni li gejja minghand l-Hon Dr Jason Azzopardi, Segretarju Parlamentari – Negozji Żgħar u Artijiet fil-Ministeru tal-Finanzi l-Ekonomija u Investiment. Ix-xogħol huwa priorita ewlenija fil-ħidma tal-Gvern. Dan joħroġ ċar minn politika li permezz ta' qafas ta' skemi u inċentivi, toħloq l-ambjent ideali biex fih jitkattar l-investiment, u b'hekk jikbru n-negozji.

 Dan il-qafas jestendi ukoll għal-lokalitajiet u ċ-ċentri tal-ibliet u l-irħula tagħna, mingħajr esklużjoni. Il-Gvern jinkoraggixxi Kunsilli Lokali u entitajiet li jagħmlu inizzjattivi li jinkoraġġixxu n-negozju.

F'dan id-dawl ser iniedu kompetizzjoni fejn jiġu ppremjati inizzjattivi li jappoġġaw l-intraprenditorija. Din il-kompetizzjoni hija l-fazi nazzjonali li twassal ukoll għall-parteċipazzjoni fil-kompetizzjoni Premji Ewropej għall-Intrapriża (European Enterprise Awards).

Ser ikun hemm żewġ sezzjonijiet distinti fil-kompetizzjoni. Waħda ser tilqa' applikazzjonijiet mill-Kunsilli Lokali u oħra li tkun miftuħa għal awtoritajiet pubbliċi, organizazzjonijiet nazzjonali, sħubiji pubbliċi-privati, programmi edukattivi u organizazzjonijiet tan-negozju.

Applikazzjonijiet miż-żewġ sezzjonijiet jintlaqgħu għal proġett li jkun inbeda' jew tlesta fl-aħħar sentejn li għaddew u li jkun jikkwalifika taħt waħda mill-ħames kategoriji li jidhru hawn taħt:

1. Promozzjoni tal-Intraprenditorija (Promoting the entrepreneurial spirit)

2. Investiment fil-Ħiliet (Investing in skills)

3. Titjib tal-Ambjent Kummerċjali (Improving the business environment)

4. Appoġġ għall-internazjonalizazzjoni tan-negozju (Supporting the internationalisation of business)

5. Premju għall-Intraprenditorija Responsabbli u Inklussiva (Responsible and inclusive entrepreneurship)

Ir-rebbieħa taż-żewġ sezzjonijiet ser jingħataw il-premju ta' tletin elf ewro (€30,000) kull wieħed filwaqt illi min jiġi iddikjarat fit-tieni post taż-żewġ sezzjonijiet ser jingħata il-premju ta' għoxrin elf ewro (€20,000). Fil-każ tas-sezzjoni miftuħa għall-Kunsilli Lokali ser ikun hemm ukoll massimu ta' sitt premjijiet ta' konsolazzjoni ta' ħamest elef ewro l-wieħed (€5,000).

L-applikazzjonijiet kollha li jiġu sottomessi fiż-żewġ sezzjonijiet, indipendentement jekk ikunux fost ir-rebbieħa tal-fażi nazzjonali tal-kompetizzjoni jew le, ser ikunu eliġibbli għal nominazzjoni biex jikkompetu fil-Premji Ewropej għall-Intrapriża. Dawk li finalment jiġu innominati (massimu ta' tnejn f'żewġ kategoriji differenti) ikunu qed jaqblu u jaċċettaw li jirrapreżentaw lil Malta f'dan ilpremju prestiġġjuż fuq livell Ewropew.

Proġett li jkun diġa ġie innominat biex jikkompeti fil-Premji Ewropej għall-Intrapriża fis-snin ta' qabel ma jkunx eliġibbli biex jerġa jkun innominat għall-kompetizzjoni tal-fażi ewropeja.

L-applikazzjonijiet iridu jaslu d-Dipartiment tal-Kummerċ sa mhux aktar tard mill-Ġimgħa 15 ta' Ottubru 2010, indirizzati lil "Kumitat ta' Selezzjoni, National Enterprise Support Awards".

Għal aktar informazzjoni kkuntattja lil Ms Amanda Saliba fi ħdan id-Dipartiment tal-Kummerċ fuq +356 2569 0310 jew ibgħat emajl fuq .

In January 2010, the Ministry of Finance, the Economy and Investment established a working group to conduct extensive research on the Cultural and Creative Industries in Malta, with the remit of developing a strategy for the creative economy.

 

 

The working group defines the creative economy as a set of knowledge-based economic activities (creativity and intellectual capital) that encompass the cycles of creation, production and distribution of creative goods and services and which have the potential to generate economic growth, employment and development (social and cultural).
The pillars of the creative economy are the Cultural and Creative Industries: HERITAGE (crafts, antiques, cultural sites, traditional festivals and celebrations); ARTS (visual arts, music and performing arts); MEDIA (publishing and audiovisuals); and CREATIVE BUSINESS SERVICES (design, software, architecture, advertising and cultural services).
GRTU is one of the representatives on this Creative Economy Group. During the first couple of meetings, GRTU has been made aware that data available related to culture and creative industry remains sparce and often underdeveloped discouraging comparisms between sectors and across countries. As a result policy is unfortunately often based on theoretical arguments.
For this reason GRTU has on the 17th and 22nd September organised two sessions where representatives from the Creative Economy Working Group in the Ministry for Finance delivered a presentation and discussed with those present what theory is saying about the sector and compare these ideas with the practical experience of practitioners and stakeholders in the Culture and Creative Industry. The aim is to assist the Creative Economy Working Group which at the moment is designing a bold strategy based on four strategic paths:
Shaping Talent into Professions
Assist Creative Businesses find Route to Market
Promoting Malta as a Hub of Creative Activity
Championing the Sector Through Cohesive Governance Structures
Amongst those present were representives from the ; crafts sector, visual arts, broadcasting TV & radio, fashion design, Cultural Sites, Music, Printing and publishing, Advertising, Performing Arts, Film Industry, Architecture & Design ICT & Software. The two meetings were very fruitful.
While GRTU thank the representatives from the Creative Economy Working Group and all those who attended and participated in the information sessions, GRTU would like to inform that anyone wishing to forward their proposals can do so on the following email addresses;    or  

"NINE HUNDRED AND THIRTY SIX TONS OF RECYCLABLE PACKAGING WASTE was recovered by Green MT, Malta's leading waste packaging Compliance Scheme in July 2010", stated Green MT Chairman, Vince Farrugia. 607 tons were recovered through the ‘grey bag' kerbside collection, whilst 256 tons were taken by residents to easily accessible Bring In Sites in 41 Localities run and managed by Green MT. A further 73 tons were recovered through a commercial collection from seven Local Councils, namely Birkirkara, San Gwann, Rabat, Qormi, Valletta, Poala and Mosta.

A number of initiaitives have been launched since the  birth of Green MT in each Local Council. Amongst these, visits by Eco Councillors to individual households to discuss and train residents in the separation of waste fractions has added greatly to this success. The provision of free recycling bags to a few of these Localities has proved to be also a success. Green MT will shortly be distributing free issue bags to another substantial number of Local Councils both in Malta and Gozo.

Green MT Eco Councillors have this week been visiting all households in Mgarr Malta. Just over 1000 households will be reached by these councillors, where they will provide further education to these residents. Mgarr Local Council will as from Friday October 01, conduct two collections of separated waste weekly, Tuesday and Friday. Each Household has also received fifty bags from the Scheme, Green MT. On both these days no mixed waste will be collected. A number of Bring in Sites have also been added in Mgarr.

Green mt has deployed its Eco Councillors in 26 Localities from October 2009 to date. The Local Councils visited cover a population of just under 250,000. Eco Councillors also provide a leaflet to these households outlining what can be placed  in the ‘grey bag' and those products that are not to be deposited in this ‘grey bag'.

Green mt has recovered and recycled 6190 tons of recyclable waste from Jan 01, 2010 to end June 2010, the first six months of 2010.

The Valletta Local Council in collaboration with the GRTU, Malta Chamber for SMEs is currently working upon a new initiative which can only be successful with the participation of the Business Community, Museums, sites and Tourist Information Centres in our Capital City. The aim of this initiative is to boost the local economy and provide a new level of service for the Maltese as well as for the tourists.

 

 

 

 

Tourists and locals will have the opportunity to purchase this card from various places throughout Valletta that shall provide our visitors with the opportunity to go on a personal voyage of discovery through our Capital City. By purchasing this card they will benefit from discounts at various venues and other facilities including retail outlets, souvenir shops, sites, museums, bars and restaurants in our Capital City.

Within the following weeks the Valletta Local Council together with the GRTU, Malta Chamber of SMEs will be carrying out a survey among all operators on how to take part in this initiative.

Be part of the project, contribute your share and support it with your participation!

It happens only in Malta. A person who is only out of prison upon the leniency of a Court Presiding Magistrate who put him on bail albeit having to report to the Local Police Station and to be home by midnight has just been elected by acclamation as Vice President of a new association aspiring for national recognition. The people in the hall who clapped at this approval are some of Malta's richest millionaires. They are the people who made it rich, most of them in a relatively short period of time, through clever, and often not so ethical, land speculation as the country got richer as a result of the productive work of all of us.

 

 

 

 

These are the same people who only a few years ago basked under the tax amnesty awarded to them by Minister Tonio Fenech. Many in the hall that applauded benefitted from this greatest money laundering exercise of hundreds of millions of tax evaded moneys. Now they felt they have the right to insult all civil society by electing by acclamation Sandro Chetcuti, notorious land speculator, who has been thrown out from GRTU for gross and criminal misconduct.

Sandro Chetcuti is in Court not as the hall and the media and the public was falsely made to believe "on alleged beating of a man". Sandro Chetcuti is in Court because after thorough police investigation he is charged by the Public Prosecutor of the attempted murder of a public figure, the Director General of GRTU Malta Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises. Anywhere else in the civilised world a man who is under such a grave criminal charge vanishes from the public eye as he is effectively a walking dead man. But not in Malta. In Malta Sandro Chetcuti finds an ex-Minster of the Party that has fought so much, and continues to fight, for the rule of law and for the respect of civil society and national ethical behaviour who cheekily covers up for him and accepts him as his deputy. Michael Falson is for me another dead man walking. I am a lifelong member of the Nationalist Party and I will be requesting the Party to dismiss Michael Falzon from the Party. A person like Michael Falzon after all the faith we had put in him should have never allowed himself to cover up for this gross insult of Maltese civil society.

Last March Vince Farrugia was instructed by the National Executive Council of GRTU to inform Sandro Chetcuti that we believe that there is enough evidence from so many people he has dealt with in property that while he was clever to make millions of Maltese Lira his record of unethical business dealings is too big for him to continue to hold a position in GRTU. What happened on March 11^th 2010 at GRTU is history of Malta. Never before has an important public figure been assaulted in such brutal manner. Sufficient evidence has already been heard in Court and the reports have been published. The assault on Vince Farrugia further proved how unsuitable Sandro Chetcuti is to hold any position that necessitates an ethical behaviour. It is no excuse that many who attended now say that they have been pestered to attend and pressured to vote. We are referring to business people who are no fools. Now the land speculators have decided. More than sixty of them have chosen Sandro Chetcuti as their leader. They have instructed him and whoever to draft for them a charter of ethical behaviour. It's absolutely incredible. And they have appointed as President the man who invented the Planning Authority, the biggest blow land speculators suffered since

Adam and Eve. Now Michael Falzon tries somehow to redeem himself by acting as partner to Sandro Chetcuti. And these people are going to tell us all how to behave ethically. May God save us.

Sandro faces a criminal charge in Court that, should the Public Prosecution win its case and the Court upholds the serious criminal charges brought against him, may land him years in prison. And there is no suspended sentence on a charge of attempted murder. And the millionaires who appointed this lot by acclamation expect the Prime Minister, other Ministers and the Authorities to meet them and recognise their integrity. And the gullible in the Hall that applauded and hugged Sandro Chetcuti really believe that faced by Sandro Chetcuti and Michael Falzon, the Cabinet of Minister will bend backwards to become more land speculation friendly. They really believe that Sandro Chetcuti will make it easier for them to make more millions from more land speculation. Incredible what cheek.

GRTU has already informed the Prime Minister and the Cabinet of Ministers that we will strongly object to any involvement or to any recognition of an Association that in its mist has a person under the criminal charges that Sandro Chetcuti is facing in Court. GRTU strongly objects to any membership of any statutory Board of any representatives from this new Association as presently constituted. Most serious business owners active in construction and development are members of the recognised constituted bodies representing enterprise, GRTU and the Chamber of Commerce.  This important business sector has been strongly represented and continues to be. Starting a new kazin just to please someone who have been kicked out for unethical and gross criminal behaviour is the wrong reason to begin with. Of course, this is a free country. PEOPLE MAY CHOSE WHOEVER THEY SO WISH TO REPRESENT THEM. BUT CIVIL SOCIETY HAS THE RIGHT TO DISREGARD THEIR CHOICE AND TO DISREGARD THEM COMPLETELY  IF THEY CHOOSE TO AFFRONT CIVIL SOCIETY BY CHOICES THAT STINK.